At the Federal Reserve’s first meeting in 2025, consumers are going to want what Fed Chair Jerome Powell simply can’t give them: An answer to how much longer interest rates are going to stay high.

The Federal Reserve is nearly certain to keep its key interest rate unchanged at its policy meeting this week, just a few days after President Donald Trump said he would soon demand lower rates

The Fed’s decision on Wednesday is the first following Trump’s return to office, which has been marked by a flurry of executive orders as the US president seeks to impose his agenda on Washington. Analysts say that Fed chair Jay Powell will have to resist White House pressure if he is to retain the confidence of markets and avoid unleashing a new wave of inflation.