Odds Now At 90% (Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Hold at 7.50% After the January 29, 2025 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 90% (likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate (TRFFR) at 4.25% - 4.50% at the January 29^TH, 2025 monetary policy meeting, leaving the U.S. Prime Rate at the current 7.50%.

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The American Consumer

Is the American consumer ready to keep the American economy going strong in 2025?

• Here's a quote from the latest (December) Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS):

"...Broadly speaking, consumers believe that the economy has improved considerably as inflation has slowed, but they do not feel that they are thriving..."

Month-on-month, the ICS was +3.06%, while year-on-year it was +6.07%.

• Consumer Confidence declined by 7.18% this month (December, 2024.)  Here's a clip:
  
  

  "...Consumers became a bit less bullish about the stock market in December: 52.9% expected stock prices to increase over the year ahead, down from a record high of 57.2% in November. Also, 25% of consumers expected stock prices to decline, up from 21.7%. The share of consumers expecting higher interest rates over the next 12 months ticked up to 48.5% but remained near recent lows. The share expecting lower rates eased to 29.3% -- down from recent months but still quite high..."

Stay tuned...

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The United States Prime Rate was lowered to the current 7.50% on December 18, 2024.

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SUMMARY

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will hold at the current 7.50% after the January 29^TH, 2025 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 90% (likely.)

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Eighth and Final FOMC Meeting of 2024 Adjourned: United States Prime Rate Is Now 7.50%

United States Prime Rate

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve System has just adjourned its eighth and final monetary policy meeting of 2024 and, in accordance with our latest forecast, has voted to lower the benchmark target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) from 4.50% - 4.75% to 4.25% - 4.50%. Therefore, the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a the Fed Prime Rate) is now 7.50%.

NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

Here's a clip from today's FOMC press release (note text in bold):

"...Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. Since earlier in the year, labor market conditions have generally eased, and the unemployment rate has moved up but remains low. Inflation has made progress toward the Committee's 2 percent objective but remains somewhat elevated.

The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. The Committee judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance. The economic outlook is uncertain, and the Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate.

In support of its goals, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point to 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent. In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. The Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities. The Committee is strongly committed to supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to its 2 percent objective.

In assessing the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook. The Committee would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could impede the attainment of the Committee's goals. The Committee's assessments will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair; John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Thomas I. Barkin; Michael S. Barr; Raphael W. Bostic; Michelle W. Bowman; Lisa D. Cook; Mary C. Daly; Philip N. Jefferson; Adriana D. Kugler; and Christopher J. Waller. Voting against the action was Beth M. Hammack, who preferred to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4-1/2 to 4-3/4 percent..."

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Odds Now At 95% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Be Cut to 7.50% at the December 18, 2024 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 95% (very likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve will vote to lower the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate (TRFFR) by 0.25 percentage point (25 basis points [bps]) at the December 18^TH, 2024 monetary policy meeting.


A 25 bps cut would cause Prime to decrease, from the current 7.75%, to  7.50%. 

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• Year-on-year (Y-O-Y), the  CORE Consumer Price Index edged lower, from 3.33% during October, to 3.32% during November, 2024.
  
  
• Y-O-Y, from September to October, 2024, the CORE PCE Price Index rose from 2.7% to 2.8%.
  
  
  
• On the jobs front, Y-O-Y, the U-3 (Headline) Unemployment Rate ticked up, from 4.1% during October, 2024, to 4.2% during November.
  
  It was 3.7% during November, 2023.
  

• Y-O-Y, the reading on Average Hourly Earnings was +4.03%, while Average Weekly Earnings was +3.73%.

Stay tuned...

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The United States Prime Rate was lowered to the current 7.75% on November 7, 2024.

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SUMMARY

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will be cut to 7.50% at the December 18^TH, 2024 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 95% (very likely.)
  

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Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Monetary Policy Meeting Schedule for 2025 & 2026

👇: Here's the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) monetary policy meeting schedule for 2025 and 2026.

Why is this schedule important to you? Because it's at these monetary policy meetings that the FOMC votes on whether to raise, lower or make no changes to the target range for Fed Funds Target Rate, and when the Fed Funds Target Rate changes, the United States Prime Rate (also known as the Fed Prime Rate) will also change (how the United States Prime Rate works):

======👇2025👇======

• January 29, 2025
  
  
• March 19, 2025
  
  
• May 7, 2025
  
  
• June 18, 2025
  
  
• July 30, 2025
  
  
• September 17, 2025
  
  
• October 29, 2025
  
  
• December 10, 2025

======👇2026👇======

• January 28, 2026
  
  
• March 18, 2026
  
  
• April 29, 2026
  
  
• June 17, 2026
  
  
• July 29, 2026
  
  
• September 16, 2026
  
  
• October 28, 2026
  
  
• December 9, 2026

• January 27, 2027

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