WATCH LIVE: Powell’s last Federal Reserve interest rate decision before stepping down

Published April 29, 2026 2:15pm ET



Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will hold his final press conference at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the policymakers’ interest rate decision ahead of his planned departure on May 15.

The appearance comes at a pivotal moment for the central bank as it weighs whether to change interest rates amid lingering inflation concerns and President Donald Trump‘s demand that rates need to drop. 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE MONETARY POLICY STATEMENT

Financial analysts say the Fed is likely to hold interest rates steady, and there is speculation about whether Powell will finish out his term.

Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to be Powell’s successor, and Warsh’s nomination passed the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on Wednesday morning.