Federal Reserve holds rates steady, sees two small hikes by end of year

Further rate increases would take into account cumulative tightening of monetary policy, lags with which policy affects economic activity, inflation, and economic and financial developments, it said

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday but signaled in new economic projections that borrowing costs will likely rise by another half of a percentage point by the end of this year as the U.S. central bank reacted to a stronger-than-expected economy and a slower decline in inflation.

In an