3<\/div>\n

Decision day<\/div>\n

Press conference<\/div>\n

The chair explains the decision after each meeting and answers questions, which can change the first market reaction.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

4<\/div>\n

Three weeks later<\/div>\n

Minutes<\/div>\n

A full record of the discussion, published three weeks after the meeting.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

<\/span>How Does an FOMC Decision Move Markets?<\/span><\/h2>\n
An FOMC decision moves markets through the US interest rate and through expectations about its next steps. The US dollar is the most direct market, because the Fed sets the interest rate on the dollar itself, and gold and stock indices respond to the same change in rate expectations.<\/p>\n
\n \n \n
Market<\/th> Signal of higher rates<\/th> Signal of lower rates<\/th> Why<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n
US dollar (pairs such as EUR\/USD<\/a>)<\/td> The dollar tends to strengthen<\/td> The dollar tends to weaken<\/td> A higher US rate raises the return on dollar assets.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Gold (XAU\/USD)<\/td> Often under pressure<\/td> Often supported<\/td> Gold pays no interest, so higher rates raise the cost of holding it.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Stock indices (US 500)<\/td> The index tends to fall<\/td> The index tends to rise<\/td> Higher rates raise financing costs and lower what investors pay for future profits.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n
These are typical patterns<\/a>. Markets do not always react this way.<\/p>\n
The size of the move depends on the surprise. A decision that matches the forecast can leave prices little changed, while a result or a tone that differs from the forecast can start a sharp move.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/span>How to Read an FOMC Decision in Five Steps<\/span><\/h2>\n
Use the same routine at every meeting. It starts before the release and ends with your plan.<\/p>\n
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Prepare before the meeting.<\/strong> Copy the date from the table, then note the current rate, the forecast and the previous value in the economic calendar.<\/li>\n
Read the statement against the last one.<\/strong> Most of the text repeats the previous statement, so the changed words show what is new about inflation, jobs and the next steps.<\/li>\n
Check the projections at the four projection meetings.<\/strong> Compare the projected rate path with the previous projections. A higher path points to fewer rate cuts or more rate rises, and a lower path points to the opposite.<\/li>\n
Follow the press conference.<\/strong> Listen to how the chair describes the next meeting and which data the decision depends on.<\/li>\n
Follow your trading plan<\/a>.<\/strong> Volatility can rise sharply at the moment of release. Trade only according to a plan and a risk limit you set in advance, and read the minutes three weeks later to see what the Committee discussed.<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n
<\/span>Worked Example: How a Surprise Rate Decision Played Out<\/span><\/h2>\n
Every central bank decision works the same way, so here is the routine from the previous section on a past case: the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on 7 August 2019. The market expected a cut of 0.25 percentage points. The bank cut by 0.5 points.<\/p>\n\n
Before the Decision: The Plan<\/h3>\n
Before the release, the trader checks the expectation and the chart. NZD\/USD<\/a> traded in a narrow range between support (a level where the price had stopped falling before) at 0.6515 and resistance (a level where it had stopped rising) at 0.6555. On the hourly H1 chart the range formed a symmetrical triangle, and the daily chart showed a downtrend. A cut larger than forecast would be bad news for the New Zealand dollar, so the plan was to sell on a break of the lower border. A Sell Stop<\/a> order<\/a>, a pending order that sells when the price falls to a set level, was placed at 0.6510, with a stop above the nearest level.<\/p>\n
$\"NZD\/USD$ <\/a>
NZD\/USD, H1, before the decision of 7 August 2019. The plan trades the lower border of the range. Past results do not guarantee future performance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
After the Decision: The Reaction<\/h3>\n
The cut of 0.5 points against a forecast of 0.25 was a surprise. NZD\/USD fell through 0.6510, the pending order triggered, and the pair reached the 0.6400 area about two hours after the release. In a fast move like this a position can open a few points below the order price, a gap<\/a> known as slippage.<\/p>\n
$\"NZD\/USD$ <\/a>
NZD\/USD, H1, after the decision, with the entry, stop and target marked. An illustration of the routine, not a recommendation. Past results do not guarantee future performance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The order of work is the lesson: the expectation first, the plan before the release, and the reaction judged against the forecast. Trading the news<\/a> carries significant risk, and a position can close at a loss as well as at a profit.<\/p>\n\n
<\/span>Follow the FOMC With RoboForex<\/span><\/h2>\n
RoboForex tools cover the whole routine, from the calendar to the order.<\/p>\n
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Economic calendar<\/a>.<\/strong> Lists scheduled releases and central bank decisions with previous and forecast values, so step 1 is quick.<\/li>\n
Market Analysis<\/a>.<\/strong> Articles that put economic events and price levels in context.<\/li>\n
RoboForex MobileTrader<\/a>.<\/strong> Quotes and trading in a mobile app and a Telegram bot.<\/li>\n
Trading account<\/a>.<\/strong> Demo and live accounts, so you can practise reading decisions before risking capital.<\/li>\n
MetaTrader 5<\/a>.<\/strong> A platform for market analysis and managing positions, with a Strategy Tester for testing strategies and Expert Advisors<\/a> on historical data. Versions for desktop, mobile and web.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n
On decision day the calendar puts the whole sequence in one place. For the Fed decision of 16 September 2026, Real-Time Market Insights in your Members Area<\/a> shows the previous rate, the forecast and the actual rate next to the projections and the press conference.<\/p>\n
$\"Economic$ <\/a>
Decision day, 16 September 2026, in Real-Time Market Insights in the Members Area. The Fed Interest Rate Decision card shows the previous rate (3.75%), the forecast (4%) and the actual rate (4%), with the projections and the press conference next to it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n
The FOMC meets eight times a year, and each meeting gives you a decision, a statement and a press conference to read against what markets expected. Before the next meeting, copy its date from the table, open the economic calendar and write down the forecast and the previous rate.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/span>FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n
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What does FOMC stand for?<\/summary>\n
FOMC stands for Federal Open Market Committee. It is the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System, the central bank of the United States.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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What does FOMC mean in trading?<\/summary>\n
For traders, the FOMC means the eight meetings a year when the Fed decides on US interest rates. The decision, the policy statement and the press conference are events that move the US dollar, gold and US stock indices.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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How many FOMC meetings are there per year?<\/summary>\n
The FOMC holds eight regularly scheduled meetings a year, about six weeks apart. It can also hold unscheduled meetings when conditions require.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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When is the next FOMC meeting?<\/summary>\n
The remaining 2026 meetings are on 27 to 28 October and 8 to 9 December. In 2027 the Committee meets on 26 to 27 January, 16 to 17 March, 27 to 28 April, 8 to 9 June, 27 to 28 July, 14 to 15 September, 26 to 27 October and 7 to 8 December. Each date is tentative until confirmed at the meeting before it. The RoboForex economic calendar<\/a> shows the date and time of each decision.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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Who votes at the FOMC?<\/summary>\n
Twelve members vote: the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the New York Fed, who is a permanent voting member, and four of the other Reserve Bank presidents on a rotating basis.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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What is the dot plot?<\/summary>\n
The dot plot is a chart in the Fed's Summary of Economic Projections, published at four meetings a year. Each dot marks where one participant expects the policy rate to be at the end of a year.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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What are the FOMC minutes?<\/summary>\n
The minutes are a full record of the Committee's discussion at a meeting. They are published three weeks after the decision.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n
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Does the FOMC affect gold?<\/summary>\n
Often, because gold pays no interest and a signal of higher US rates raises the cost of holding it. The link is looser than it looks: central bank purchases and geopolitics also move gold.<\/div>\n <\/details>\n <\/div>\n