Economic Calendar · Release dates
FOMC Meeting Dates 2026
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee, holds eight scheduled meetings a year. Each meeting runs two days, and the interest rate decision is announced at 2:00 PM Eastern Time on the second day, followed by the Fed Chair's press conference at 2:30 PM.
Rates raised by 25 basis points
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 3.75–4.00%.
2026 FOMC meeting schedule
| Meeting | Decision day | Time | Projections | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 27–28 | Wed, Jan 28 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Held steady 3.50–3.75% | Released |
| Mar 17–18 | Wed, Mar 18 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Held steady 3.50–3.75% | Released |
| Apr 28–29 | Wed, Apr 29 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Held steady 3.50–3.75% | Released |
| Jun 16–17 | Wed, Jun 17 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Held steady 3.50–3.75% | Released |
| Jul 28–29 | Wed, Jul 29 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Held steady 3.50–3.75% | Released |
| Sep 15–16 | Wed, Sep 16 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Raised by 25 basis points 3.75–4.00% | Released |
| Oct 27–28 | Wed, Oct 28 | 2:00 PM ET | — | — | Next |
| Dec 8–9 | Wed, Dec 9 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | — | Upcoming |
2027 FOMC meeting schedule
| Meeting | Decision day | Time | Projections | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26–27 | Wed, Jan 27 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Upcoming |
| Mar 16–17 | Wed, Mar 17 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Upcoming |
| Apr 27–28 | Wed, Apr 28 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Upcoming |
| Jun 8–9 | Wed, Jun 9 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Upcoming |
| Jul 27–28 | Wed, Jul 28 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Upcoming |
| Sep 14–15 | Wed, Sep 15 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Upcoming |
| Oct 26–27 | Wed, Oct 27 | 2:00 PM ET | — | Upcoming |
| Dec 7–8 | Wed, Dec 8 | 2:00 PM ET | Dot plot | Upcoming |
Dates from the Federal Reserve. See every report on the economic calendar.
What happens at an FOMC meeting
At the end of each meeting the committee releases a statement with its decision on the federal funds rate target range and a short explanation of how it sees the economy. Markets read the wording closely for hints about future moves.
Four meetings a year, in March, June, September and December, also include the Summary of Economic Projections. It contains officials' forecasts for growth, unemployment and inflation, plus the "dot plot" showing where each official expects interest rates to go.
Detailed minutes of each meeting are published three weeks later. The Fed can also hold unscheduled meetings and change rates between regular meetings, though this is rare and usually happens during a crisis.
Common questions
When is the next FOMC meeting?
The next FOMC meeting decision is on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET.
What did the Fed decide at its last meeting?
At its meeting on September 16, 2026, the Fed raised the federal funds rate target range by 25 basis points to 3.75–4.00%. The full FOMC statement is published on the Federal Reserve's website.
When are the FOMC meetings in 2027?
The FOMC has scheduled 8 meetings in 2027: January 26–27, March 16–17, April 27–28, June 8–9, July 27–28, September 14–15, October 26–27, December 7–8. Each rate decision is announced at 2:00 PM ET on the second day.
What time is the FOMC rate decision announced?
The FOMC statement and rate decision are released at 2:00 PM Eastern Time on the second day of the meeting. The Fed Chair's press conference begins at 2:30 PM ET.
Which FOMC meetings include the dot plot?
The dot plot is part of the Summary of Economic Projections, published at four meetings a year: March, June, September and December. Those meetings are marked in the schedule above.
How many FOMC meetings are there in 2026?
There are 8 scheduled FOMC meetings in 2026. The full schedule is listed above.
Never miss a Fed meeting
Get the week's release dates, like the next FOMC meeting on October 28, plus what the numbers mean, in one free email a week. About the newsletter