Fed waits on rates as GDP and inflation data shape December decision

GDP and inflation figures are scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on Oct. 29, after the Federal Reserve decided not to raise interest rates. The reports will provide the next major readings on economic growth and price pressures before the Fed’s December policy decision.

The setup follows a period in which the timing of future rate increases has been tied to incoming economic data. The latest decision leaves the December meeting as the next named point at which officials could respond to evidence that growth remains firm or inflation is proving persistent.

A stronger GDP reading would indicate continued economic momentum, while inflation that remains elevated would add a second reason for policymakers to consider tighter policy. The combination could matter more than either report alone because it would pair demand strength with limited progress on price stability.

The immediate uncertainty is how the figures will compare with policymakers’ expectations and which signal will carry more weight. The reports themselves arrive before the December decision, leaving subsequent official commentary and the data’s durability as open parts of the policy debate.

The next markers are the 8:30 a.m. Eastern releases on Oct. 29 and the Fed’s December meeting. The key figures are the GDP growth rate and inflation reading, followed by whether officials frame the results as sufficient grounds for another increase.