Citing low unemployment and “solid” market conditions, the Federal Reserve Board held firm to its 4.25% to 4.5% target lending rate, extending a pause that began in January following a series of quarter-point cuts. +

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the annual rate of inflation fell from 3% in January to 2.8% in February on a year-over-year basis, slightly below the forecasted rate of 2.9%.+

TransUnion’s latest credit insights report forecasts gains in auto, home and unsecured personal loan originations tempered by concerns over changing federal policy and paused interest rate cuts. +

The consumer price index rose for the fourth straight month in January, pushing inflation to a 3% year-over-year increase in the same month the Fed announced a pause to interest rate cuts. +

The Federal Reserve Board’s first meeting of 2025 ended with its target lending rate unchanged as the agency pursues its “dual mandate” to limit inflation and unemployment. +

Edmunds’s latest auto finance report finds average monthly payments passed the $750 mark in the fourth quarter, corresponding with an average amount financed in excess of $42,000. +

Chairman Jerome Powell said interest rate reductions would slow next year while announcing an expected quarter-point cut to end 2024 with a target range of 4.25% to 4.5%. +

The Federal Reserve’s recent rate cuts in addition to an increase in automakers’ incentives are helping to stabilize the auto market, a good sign for dealers and consumers. WardsAuto's Nancy Dunham reports.+