The benchmark interest rate in the United States was last recorded at 3.75 percent. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Fed Funds Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In 2026, the federal funds effective rate continued its downward adjustment as the Federal Reserve advanced its policy easing cycle. After the beginning of 2025 at **** percent following a January rate cut, the rate remained unchanged until September 2025, when it was reduced to **** percent. Additional easing followed late in the year, with the rate lowered to **** percent in November and further reduced to **** percent in December, reflecting a sustained shift toward accommodative monetary policy. This phase of rate reductions followed a prolonged period of elevated interest rates that began after the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2020, the federal funds effective rate was sharply reduced in response to the economic shock caused by the pandemic, falling from **** percent in February 2020 to **** percent in March and reaching **** percent by April. These emergency cuts, combined with the quantitative easing program, were designed to stabilize financial markets and support economic activity. The rate remained near zero for nearly two years before the Federal Reserve initiated a tightening cycle in early 2022, raising the rate from **** percent in April 2022 to a peak of **** percent in August 2023. After holding rates steady for more than a year, the Federal Reserve began reversing course in September 2024, cutting the rate to **** percent, followed by a further reduction to **** percent in December 2024, marking the start of a broader policy pivot that continued through 2025 and into 2026, reaching **** percent in February 2026. What is the federal funds effective rate? The U.S. federal funds effective rate determines the interest rate paid by depository institutions, such as banks and credit unions, that lend reserve balances to other depository institutions overnight. Changing the effective rate in times of crisis is a common way to stimulate the economy, as it has a significant impact on the whole economy, such as economic growth, employment, and inflation. Central bank policy rates Interest rate adjustments following the COVID-19 pandemic reflected a largely coordinated global response. In early 2020, central banks worldwide adopted aggressive monetary easing to counter the economic shock, with the Federal Reserve cutting the federal funds rate from **** percent in February to **** percent by April, in line with actions taken globally. After rates remained near zero through 2021, rising inflation triggered a synchronized tightening cycle beginning in 2022. As inflation moderated, central banks - including the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the European Central Bank - began cutting rates in mid-2024. This shift toward easing broadened in 2025, with interest rates reduced in most countries.

The U.S. federal funds rate reached its peak in 2023, climbing to **** percent by December - its highest level since the 2007-08 financial crisis - following an aggressive tightening cycle aimed at curbing elevated inflation. A clear shift in monetary policy emerged in the second half of 2024, when the Federal Reserve began implementing a series of rate cuts as inflationary pressures eased and economic growth moderated. By December 2024, the federal funds rate had declined to **** percent. This easing cycle continued into 2025, with additional rate reductions throughout the year, bringing the rate below **** percent by year-end and signaling a sustained move toward a more accommodative policy stance. What is a central bank rate? The federal funds rate determines the cost of overnight borrowing between banks, allowing them to maintain necessary cash reserves and ensure financial system liquidity. When this rate rises, banks become more inclined to hold rather than lend money, reducing the money supply. While this decreased lending slows economic activity, it helps control inflation by limiting the circulation of money in the economy. Historical perspective The federal funds rate historically follows cyclical patterns, falling during recessions and gradually rising during economic recoveries. Some central banks, notably the European Central Bank, went beyond traditional monetary policy by implementing both aggressive asset purchases and negative interest rates.

View market daily updates and historical trends for Effective Federal Funds Rate. from United States. Source: Federal Reserve. Track economic data with YC…

Graph and download economic data for Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit (DFEDTARU) from 2008-12-16 to 2026-03-28 about federal, interest rate, interest, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for FOMC Summary of Economic Projections for the Fed Funds Rate, Range, Midpoint (FEDTARRM) from 2026 to 2028 about projection, federal, rate, and USA.

View daily updates and historical trends for Target Federal Funds Rate Upper Limit. from United States. Source: Federal Reserve. Track economic data with …

Effective Federal Funds Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 3.64 percent on Wednesday March 25. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Effective Federal Funds Rate.

In February 2026, the central banks of the United States, United Kingdom, and euro area each implemented several interest rate cuts, reflecting a shared shift toward monetary easing as inflation pressures continued to moderate and economic growth slowed. This synchronized easing followed a prolonged period of elevated policy rates and underscored the close alignment of monetary policy across major advanced economies. Over the longer period from 2003 to February 2026, the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and European Central Bank displayed notably similar interest rate trajectories shaped by common global economic conditions. In the early 2000s, policy rates were kept relatively low to support growth before being raised ahead of the 2008 financial crisis as economic activity accelerated. The crisis triggered sharp reductions in interest rates to near-zero levels, which were maintained for an extended period to foster recovery. Another phase of extraordinary easing occurred in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted central banks to cut rates to historic lows to cushion the economic shock. This stance was reversed in 2022, as surging inflation led to an aggressive tightening cycle across all three institutions. As inflation began to stabilize in late 2023 and early 2024, the European Central Bank and Bank of England initiated the first steps toward policy easing, setting the stage for the broader and more synchronized rate cuts observed in February 2026. Divergent approaches within the European Union While the European Central Bank sets a benchmark policy rate for the euro area, individual European countries have pursued differing monetary policy paths to address their specific economic conditions. For example, Hungary recorded the highest policy rate in the European Union, reaching ** percent in September 2023, before gradually reducing it to *** percent by December 2025. By contrast, Sweden adopted a more aggressive easing approach, cutting its policy rate to **** percent by the end of 2025 - the lowest level among EU member states. These divergences underscore the complexity of the European monetary landscape, as national central banks balance inflation control with the need to support economic growth. Global context and future outlook The interest rate changes in major economies have had far-reaching effects on global financial markets. Government bond yields, for example, reflect these policy shifts and investor sentiment. As of July 2025, Turkey had the highest 10-year government bond yield among developed economies at **** percent, while Switzerland had the lowest at **** percent. These rates serve as important benchmarks for borrowing costs and economic expectations worldwide.

View data of the Effective Federal Funds Rate, or the interest rate depository institutions charge each other for overnight loans of funds.

The inflation rate in the United States declined significantly between June 2022 and October 2025, despite rising inflationary pressures towards the end of 2024. The peak inflation rate was recorded in June 2022, at *** percent. In August 2023, the Federal Reserve's interest rate hit its highest level during the observed period, at **** percent, and remained unchanged until September 2024, when the Federal Reserve implemented its first rate cut since September 2021. By February 2026, the rate dropped to **** percent. What is the Federal Reserve interest rate? The Federal Reserve interest rate, or the federal funds rate, is the rate at which banks and credit unions lend to and borrow from each other. It is one of the Federal Reserve's key tools for maintaining strong employment rates, stable prices, and reasonable interest rates. The rate is determined by the Federal Reserve and adjusted eight times a year, though it can be changed through emergency meetings during times of crisis. The Fed doesn't directly control the interest rate but sets a target rate. It then uses open market operations to influence rates toward this target. Ways of measuring inflation Inflation is typically measured using several methods, with the most common being the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI tracks the price of a fixed basket of goods and services over time, providing a measure of the price changes consumers face. By mid 2024, the CPI in the United States was ****** percent, up from ***** a year earlier. A more business-focused measure is the producer price index (PPI), which represents the costs of firms.

Effective Federal Funds Rate: Month Average data was reported at 2.199 % pa in Nov 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.188 % pa for Oct 2018. Effective Federal Funds Rate: Month Average data is updated monthly, averaging 4.593 % pa from Jul 1954 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 773 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.065 % pa in Jul 1981 and a record low of 0.067 % pa in Feb 2014. Effective Federal Funds Rate: Month Average data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Board. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.M001: Lending and Effective Federal Funds Rates.

Context

The Federal Reserve sets interest rates to promote conditions that achieve the mandate set by the Congress — high employment, low and stable inflation, sustainable economic growth, and moderate long-term interest rates. Interest rates set by the Fed directly influence the cost of borrowing money. Lower interest rates encourage more people to obtain a mortgage for a new home or to borrow money for an automobile or for home improvement. Lower rates encourage businesses to borrow funds to invest in expansion such as purchasing new equipment, updating plants, or hiring more workers. Higher interest rates restrain such borrowing by consumers and businesses.

Content

This dataset includes data on the economic conditions in the United States on a monthly basis since 1954. The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which depository institutions trade federal funds (balances held at Federal Reserve Banks) with each other overnight. The rate that the borrowing institution pays to the lending institution is determined between the two banks; the weighted average rate for all of these types of negotiations is called the effective federal funds rate. The effective federal funds rate is determined by the market but is influenced by the Federal Reserve through open market operations to reach the federal funds rate target. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets eight times a year to determine the federal funds target rate; the target rate transitioned to a target range with an upper and lower limit in December 2008. The real gross domestic product is calculated as the seasonally adjusted quarterly rate of change in the gross domestic product based on chained 2009 dollars. The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed as a seasonally adjusted percentage of the labor force. The inflation rate reflects the monthly change in the Consumer Price Index of products excluding food and energy.

Acknowledgements

The interest rate data was published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' economic data portal. The gross domestic product data was provided by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis; the unemployment and consumer price index data was provided by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Inspiration

How does economic growth, unemployment, and inflation impact the Federal Reserve's interest rates decisions? How has the interest rate policy changed over time? Can you predict the Federal Reserve's next decision? Will the target range set in March 2017 be increased, decreased, or remain the same?

This dataset provides values for INTEREST RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Policy interest rates in the United States and Europe declined markedly in 2025, with all observed economies implementing multiple rate cuts over the course of the year. In the United States, the federal funds rate was reduced from **** percent at the end of 2024 to **** percent by year-end 2025. Similarly, the European Central Bank lowered its main refinancing rate from **** percent to **** percent, while the Bank of England reduced its bank rate from **** percent to **** percent. Based on forecasts conducted in 2024, both the U.S. federal funds rate and the Bank of England’s policy rate are expected to decline further in 2026. The impact of central bank policy rates The U.S. federal funds effective rate, crucial in determining the interest rate paid by depository institutions, experienced drastic changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The subsequent slight changes in the effective rate reflected the efforts to stimulate the economy and manage economic factors such as inflation. Such fluctuations in the federal funds rate have had a significant impact on the overall economy. The European Central Bank's decision to cut its fixed interest rate in June 2024 for the first time since 2016 marked a significant shift in attitude towards economic conditions. The reasons behind the fluctuations in the ECB's interest rate reflect its mandate to ensure price stability and manage inflation, shedding light on the complex interplay between interest rates and economic factors. Inflation and real interest rates The relationship between inflation and interest rates is critical in understanding the actions of central banks. Central banks' efforts to manage inflation through interest rate adjustments reveal the intricate balance between economic growth and inflation. Additionally, the concept of real interest rates, adjusted for inflation, provides valuable insights into the impact of inflation on the economy.

Declining reserves have placed upward pressure on the federal funds rate in recent years despite the payment of interest on reserve balances.

Monthly and long-term United States Interest Rate data: historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

📊 Dataset Overview

Understanding the relationship between stock markets and monetary policy is fundamental in macroeconomics, quantitative finance, and portfolio strategy.

This dataset combines:

Daily S&P 500 index levels

U.S. Federal Reserve Federal Funds Rate

covering the period 2018–2026, a timeframe that includes several major economic events:

Pre-COVID expansion

COVID-19 market crash (2020)

Ultra-low interest rate policy

Aggressive Fed tightening cycle (2022–2023)

Post-pandemic economic normalization

The dataset allows researchers, economists, and data scientists to study how equity markets respond to changes in monetary policy.

It is particularly useful for:

Quantitative finance research

Macro-economic modeling

Portfolio strategy analysis

Interest rate sensitivity studies

Machine learning forecasting models

The benchmark interest rate in Japan was last recorded at 0.75 percent. This dataset provides - Japan Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Volcker Shock was a period of historically high interest rates precipitated by Federal Reserve Chairperson Paul Volcker's decision to raise the central bank's key interest rate, the Fed funds effective rate, during the first three years of his term. Volcker was appointed chairperson of the Fed in August 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, as replacement for William Miller, who Carter had made his treasury secretary. Volcker was one of the most hawkish (supportive of tighter monetary policy to stem inflation) members of the Federal Reserve's committee, and quickly set about changing the course of monetary policy in the U.S. in order to quell inflation. The Volcker Shock is remembered for bringing an end to over a decade of high inflation in the United States, prompting a deep recession and high unemployment, and for spurring on debt defaults among developing countries in Latin America who had borrowed in U.S. dollars.

Monetary tightening and the recessions of the early '80s

Beginning in October 1979, Volcker's Fed tightened monetary policy by raising interest rates. This decision had the effect of depressing demand and slowing down the U.S. economy, as credit became more expensive for households and businesses. The Fed funds rate, the key overnight rate at which banks lend their excess reserves to each other, rose as high as 17.6 percent in early 1980. The rate was allowed to fall back below 10 percent following this first peak, however, due to worries that inflation was not falling fast enough, a second cycle of monetary tightening was embarked upon starting in August of 1980. The rate would reach its all-time peak in June of 1981, at 19.1 percent. The second recession sparked by these hikes was far deeper than the 1980 recession, with unemployment peaking at 10.8 percent in December 1980, the highest level since The Great Depression. This recession would drive inflation to a low point during Volcker's terms of 2.5 percent in August 1983.

The legacy of the Volcker Shock

By the end of Volcker's terms as Fed Chair, inflation was at a manageable rate of around four percent, while unemployment had fallen under six percent, as the economy grew and business confidence returned. While supporters of Volcker's actions point to these numbers as proof of the efficacy of his actions, critics have claimed that there were less harmful ways that inflation could have been brought under control. The recessions of the early 1980s are cited as accelerating deindustrialization in the U.S., as manufacturing jobs lost in 'rust belt' states such as Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania never returned during the years of recovery. The Volcker Shock was also a driving factor behind the Latin American debt crises of the 1980s, as governments in the region defaulted on debts which they had incurred in U.S. dollars. Debates about the validity of using interest rate hikes to get inflation under control have recently re-emerged due to the inflationary pressures facing the U.S. following the Coronavirus pandemic and the Federal Reserve's subsequent decision to embark on a course of monetary tightening.