Fed Officials Increase Forecasts for Level of Rates in 2025, 2026 (2024)

FAQs

Fed Officials Increase Forecasts for Level of Rates in 2025, 2026? ›

The median estimate for the fed-funds rate target range at the end of 2025 moved to 3.75% to 4%, from 3.5% to 3.75% in December. For the end of 2026, the median dot now shows a target range of 3% to 3.25%, versus 2.75% to 3% three months ago.

Trading Economics offers a more optimistic outlook, predicting a rise to 5% in 2023 before falling to 4.25% in 2024 and 3.25% in 2025. This forecast is supported by Morningstar's analysis, which projects rates between 3.75% and 4%.

After the last meeting meeting, the Fed predicted three quarter-point cuts by the end of this year. As time goes on, however, that becomes less of a certainty. Some economists have even suggested rates won't budge until March 2025.

In the long-term, the United States Fed Funds Interest Rate is projected to trend around 4.25 percent in 2025 and 3.25 percent in 2026, according to our econometric models.

Current Situation. The Fed is currently raising interest rates to counteract inflation. The policymakers expect rates to stay above 5% in 2024 and around 4% by the end of 2025.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as of Thursday was 6.99%. By the final quarter of 2025, Fannie Mae expects that to slide to 6.0%. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo's model expects 5.8%, and the Mortgage Bankers Association estimates 5.5%.

Last year, the White House projection for bill rates in 2030 was 2.4%. Such a level would be much higher than has been typical since the turn of the century. Three-month bill rates averaged around 1.5% over that period.

CD rates should remain fairly attractive in 2025

Just as the Fed raised interest rates when inflation soared, the central bank is expected to start cutting interest rates now that inflation has cooled.

It's possible that rates will one day go back down to 3%, though if current trends hold that's not likely to happen anytime soon.

What are the interest rates projected for 2027? ›

Interest Rates for 2021 to 2027. CBO projects that the interest rates on 3-month Treasury bills and 10-year Treasury notes will average 2.8 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively, during the 2021–2027 period. The federal funds rate is projected to average 3.1 percent.

Survey: Fed will keep interest rates historically high until end of 2026.

One reason being that as the Federal Reserve begins to cut rates, the bond market is expected to become less volatile, leading to a slight decline in mortgage rates. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as of Friday is 6.91%. By the final quarter of 2025, Fannie Mae expects that to slide to 6.0%.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall to the mid-6% range through the end of 2024, potentially dipping into high-5% territory by the end of 2025. Here's where mortgage interest rates are headed for the rest of the year and how that will impact the housing market as a whole.

Thirty-year mortgage rates nudged up to more than 7% in April 2024, as the Fed has held rates higher for longer. That's still down from recent peak levels of almost 8% last October. But mortgage rates have been on a generally increasing trend since early 2022 and for most of 2024.

Interest Rates for 2021 to 2027. CBO projects that the interest rates on 3-month Treasury bills and 10-year Treasury notes will average 2.8 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively, during the 2021–2027 period. The federal funds rate is projected to average 3.1 percent.

Futures indicate that short-term interest rates will bottom out at about 3.75% in 2027, while the median forecast among members of the policy-making Federal Open Market Committee is 2.6% — more than 100 basis points lower.

But until the Fed sees evidence of slowing economic growth, interest rates will stay higher for longer. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall to the mid-6% range through the end of 2024, potentially dipping into high-5% territory by the end of 2025.