Friday’s March CPI report is unlikely to shift the Federal Reserve from holding
rates steady at its upcoming meeting, Russell Investments’ BeiChen Lin says in
a note. However, the direction and scale of any deviation from consensus could
determine whether the Fed’s tone turns more hawkish or dovish.
The firm still sees rate hikes in 2026 as “very unlikely.” Consensus forecasts
point to headline inflation accelerating to 3.3% in March from 2.4% in February,
and core inflation rising to 2.7% from 2.5%.
