The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady in the recent FOMC meeting, while also indicating it still expects one more hike before the end of the year and fewer cuts than previously indicated next year. In addition to holding rates at relatively high levels, the Fed is continuing to reduce its bond holdings through the so-called QT, a process that has cut the central bank balance sheet by some $815 billion since June 2022. The Fed is allowing up to $95 billion in proceeds from maturing bonds to roll off each month, rather than reinvesting them. The “dot plot” chart from the latest FOMC meeting showed a much higher and longer rate till 2026 and this has “spooked” the market, causing some reactions and pulling down of market indexes last week. “Chair Powell and the Fed sent an unambiguously hawkish higher-for-longer message at today’s FOMC meeting,” wrote Citigroup economist Andrew Hollenhorst....