Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell wanted everyone to know one thing: the Federal Reserve isn’t touching Bitcoin. Not now, not ever.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has steered the world’s most powerful central bank during a tumultuous period for the US economy, from the pandemic to a historic bout of inflation shortly after.

The 19-year period of Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen, Jerome Powell has been especially harmful. Its interest rate actions significantly disrupted capitalism's key strength: the capital markets' pricing process (interest rate determination) between capital providers and users.

Redfin, a Seattle, Washington-based real estate giant, forecasts average 30-year fixed mortgage rates will remain in the high 6% range over the duration of 2025. Online real estate marketplace Zillow says mortgage rates will fall, but only moderately.

It was a year of sour consumer sentiment but not enough to dampen holiday spending, which set an all-time record

With just two trading sessions left in 2024, the Federal Reserve remains a major concern for Wall Street. While optimism about the central bank's interest-rate cuts powered stocks to big gains for much of this year,

Heading into a new year with a new administration, policymakers project fewer cuts and somewhat more stubborn inflation.

The Federal Reserve's plans for interest rate cuts in 2025 are up in the air as officials wait to see what policy President-elect Donald Trump will impose and what effect it has on the economy. In particular, Trump's plans to impose tariffs have raised eyebrows at the central bank because they could push up inflation.

Loge said that going into 2025, the U.S. would have a relatively strong economy, with inflation at close to 2 percent, and that "the prudent policy would be to stay the course."

Recurring applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose to the highest in more than three years, adding to signs that it is taking longer for out-of-work people to find a job.

The Federal Open Market Committee, which votes on changes in interest rates, includes a rotating cast of presidents from 11 of the regional Fed banks, in addition to the seven Fed governors and the president of the New York Fed.

Japan's government has expressed a cautious stance on holding Bitcoin as part of its national reserves, citing concerns over volatility.