FOMC Interest Rate Announcement, Fed Chair Press Conference, EIA Crude Oil Inventories

The EUR/USD pair ticked up on Tuesday, extending its push toward 1.0950 as investors leaned into riskier assets ahead of the Federal Reserve’s key interest rate decision on Wednesday. With markets tilting decisively risk-on, the euro continues to benefit from shifting sentiment.
Across the Atlantic, the final European Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices data is set for release later today, though analysts expect little deviation from the preliminary figures. Meanwhile, ECB President Christine Lagarde is scheduled to speak on Thursday, just as the EU leaders’ summit kicks off—a potential catalyst for further euro volatility.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold rates steady in its latest policy announcement today. However, the real market-moving event may come from the Fed’s updated interest rate projections.
With inflation trends still in focus, the Fed’s tone will be critical in shaping expectations for the second half of the year.

Gold prices skyrocketed past the $3,000 milestone on Tuesday, reaching an all-time high of $3,038 per ounce as investors flocked to safe-haven assets amid mounting global uncertainty. The rally comes ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision and rising tensions over President Donald Trump’s impending reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on April 2.
Market sentiment remains fragile despite a temporary de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In the Middle East, renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas have further stoked demand for bullion. Over 400 casualties in Gaza following Israeli airstrikes threaten to unravel a two-month ceasefire, adding another layer of uncertainty to global markets.
On the economic front, mixed signals from the U.S. industrial and housing sectors have left investors looking to the Federal Reserve for clarity. Industrial production showed improvement in February, while housing data painted a divided picture.
With geopolitical instability, monetary policy uncertainty, and a weaker dollar, gold’s bull run may still have more room to grow. Investors will be watching the Fed closely for any signs of a shift in policy that could either fuel further gains or trigger a pullback.

U.S. stocks slid on Tuesday, snapping a two-day winning streak, as investors took a cautious stance ahead of the Federal Reserve’s key monetary policy decision.
The Fed is set to release its latest policy statement and updated economic projections later today, with markets widely expecting interest rates to remain unchanged.
The US 30 fell 0.60% while US 500 and US Tech 100 experienced losses of 1.02% and 1.59% respectively.
In stock news, Alphabet fell 2.33% after announcing a $32 billion acquisition of Wiz, marking its largest cybersecurity deal ever. Nvidia shed 3.37% as CEO Jensen Huang highlighted the company’s shift toward AI inference over AI model training. Tesla plummeted 5.28% after RBC slashed its price target from $320 to $120, citing weaker expectations for full self-driving and robotaxi adoption. 

Bitcoin retreated on Tuesday, dropping more than 1.5% as market participants braced for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision on Wednesday. With uncertainty looming over U.S. monetary policy and trade tariffs, the world’s largest cryptocurrency struggled to maintain momentum. Bitcoin has seen muted moves this month, slipping more than 1% in March, as investors await a clearer outlook on risk appetite.
Crypto traders are treading carefully ahead of the Fed’s March 18-19 policy meeting, where interest rates are widely expected to remain unchanged. However, the real focus will be on Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s commentary on President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policies and their potential impact on inflation and economic growth.