The S&P 500 briefly crossed the historic 7,000 mark before pulling back after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at its January 2026 meeting. With the Fed upgrading its growth outlook while acknowledging inflation remains elevated, Ben Emons, Chief Investment Officer, FedWatch Advisors looks at why policymakers chose to pause and what it signals about the health of the economy. He explores what steady rates mean for consumers and businesses, and how rising political scrutiny of Fed Chair Jerome Powell could influence perceptions of central bank independence.

Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang

Image: 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay