emergencyBreaking NewsOil Price Spikes and Inflation Data Force Federal Reserve to Hold Rates SteadySocial Security Impostor Scams Use Employee Photos to Forge LegitimacyIsraeli Strikes in Lebanon Escalate Following US-Iran CeasefireScammers Are Impersonating Real Social Security Employees — With PhotosThe South’s Housing Advantage Isn’t Just About Cheap Prices—It’s About CompetitionOil Price Spikes and Inflation Data Force Federal Reserve to Hold Rates SteadySocial Security Impostor Scams Use Employee Photos to Forge LegitimacyIsraeli Strikes in Lebanon Escalate Following US-Iran CeasefireScammers Are Impersonating Real Social Security Employees — With PhotosThe South’s Housing Advantage Isn’t Just About Cheap Prices—It’s About Competition
DoiDoi
Credit & Lendingexpand_more
Credit CardsPersonal LoansStudent Loans
Markets & Investingexpand_more
Stocks & ETFsCrypto & BlockchainFed & Macro
Retirement & Benefitsexpand_more
401(k) & IRASocial SecurityRetirement Policy
Real Estateexpand_more
Mortgage RatesHousing Market
Financial Foundationexpand_more
Budgeting & SavingInsurance
Latest News
MarketsPortfolio
The Digital Ledger
Credit & Lending
Markets & Investing
Retirement & Benefits
Real Estate
Financial Foundation
Latest News
Dashboards

Institutional Financial Analysis

Home/Markets & Investing/FED INTEREST RATE DECISION · INFLATION HOUSEHOLD BUDGET

Energy Shocks Lock Federal Funds Rate at 3.50%–3.75% as Inflation Hits 3.3%

GT

Gideon Townsend

Fed interest rate decision · Apr 10, 2026

Energy Shocks Lock Federal Funds Rate at 3.50%–3.75% as Inflation Hits 3.3%

Source: The Digital Ledger Data Terminal

Small to mid-sized businesses are seeing interest rates on discretionary loans climb as high as 12%.

Related BriefJust now
monetary policy

Oil Price Spikes and Inflation Data Force Federal Reserve to Hold Rates Steady

The Dow fell 1.6%, the S&P 500 fell 1.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.5%, reaching their lowest levels since November. The 10-year U.S. note yield rose nearly 6 basis points to approximately 4.26% as investors sold bonds. These movements occurred after the Federal Reserve concluded a policy meeting on March 18 with no change to interest rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell cited inflation concerns and uncertainty from the war in Iran as the reasons for the decision. A measure of wholesale price inflation arrived hotter than analysts had expected. Brent crude oil prices rose nearly 6% to around $105 a barrel, while the nationwide average for a gallon of gas is $3.86. The VIX Composite spiked nearly 10%.

This borrowing cost remains anchored at a multi-year high after the Federal Open Market Committee held the federal funds rate steady at 3.50%’3.75% on March 17‘18, 2026. The decision followed a March Consumer Price Index report showing inflation jumping to 3.3%, up from 2.4% in February. The spike was driven by a 21.2% monthly increase in gasoline prices.

Related Brief1d ago
inflation

Oil Blockade Blockades Federal Reserve Rate Cuts

Annual inflation rose to 3.3% in March, a two-year high. This increase was driven by a sharp rise in costs for products impacted by an oil shortage. Energy prices jumped almost 12% from February to March. U.S. gasoline prices reached an average of $4.152 per gallon, a $1.17 increase since the start of the war. Airline fares increased 3.4% in March. These price increases followed the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28. The closure blocked approximately one-fifth of the global supply of oil and natural gas. The Federal Reserve may be reluctant to lower borrowing costs.

These costs rose after the March 4, 2024, closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which removed 20% of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas from the market overnight. The event added $13 to every barrel of crude, pushing Brent Crude past $120.

Related Brief1d ago
monetary policy

Fed Officials Consider Rate Hikes to Counter Middle East Energy Price Surges

The target range for the federal funds rate may be adjusted upward. This possibility is reflected in a new two-sided description of future interest-rate decisions. The Federal Open Market Committee held the benchmark policy rate in a range of 3.5% to 3.75% during its March 17-18 meeting, but policymakers now worry that prolonged conflict in the Middle East will lead to persistent increases in energy prices. Global energy costs surged for three weeks following that meeting. Because inflation has run above target for five years, officials noted that long-term inflation expectations may become more sensitive to these energy price increases. This volatility leads to persistent increases in underlying inflation, which may prompt officials to consider raising interest rates if inflation remains above target levels.

Fed interest rate decisioninflation household budget

The Ledger Morning

The essential intelligence to start your trading day. Delivered 6:00 AM EST.

Join 50,000+ professionals who start their day with The Digital Ledger.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Read More Analysis

crypto IRS ruling

The South’s Housing Advantage Isn’t Just About Cheap Prices—It’s About Competition

For renters in costly coastal markets, moving to a Southern city like Birmingham or San Antonio could cut the income nee…

crypto exchange hack

Perpetual Futures Volume Quadrupled Spot Trading on Major Exchanges in March 2026

Perpetual futures trading volume was four times spot volume on centralized crypto exchanges in March 2026, signaling a d…

DoiDoi

© 2026 DojiDoji. All rights reserved.

EditorialEditorial GuidelinesCorrections
LegalPrivacy PolicyTerms of Service
DisclosureSEC DisclosuresAd Choice
SocialX (Twitter)LinkedIn