Federal Reserve likely to cut key interest rate: What to know

The Brief

The Federal Reserve will almost certainly cut its key interest rate on Wednesday.

This would be the second cut of the year, and a third has been projected for December as well.

But the shutdown has cut off critical information about hiring and inflation, which could interrupt the Fed’s decision making process.

The Federal Reserve will almost certainly cut its key interest rate on Wednesday and could signal it expects another cut in December as the central bank seeks to invigorate the job market.

Here’s what to know about the Fed’s meeting on Wednesday:

Big picture view:

The Fed’s next meeting is happening Wednesday, Oct. 29, and is likely to end with another cut to the key interest rate, which would be the second cut of the year, with a third projected to come in December.