FOMC Rate Decision (Federal Reserve): release dates and time
Eight meetings a year ยท Statement 2:00 p.m. ET, press conference 2:30 p.m. ET ยท Source: Federal Reserve Board
Next FOMC release
Official schedule ยท no forecasts
FOMC decision + projections (8โ9 Dec meeting)
Wed 9 Dec 2026 ยท 2:00 p.m. ET ยท Wed 9 Dec 2026 ยท 2:00 p.m. ET ยท 19:00 UTC
Summary of Economic Projections; press conference 2:30 p.m. ET
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Often watched inGoldForexUS dollarOil
The Federal Reserve lists the remaining 2026 FOMC meetings on 27โ28 October and 8โ9 December (with economic projections). The statement is released at 2:00 p.m. ET on the second day and the press conference starts at 2:30 p.m. ET. Source: the Federal Reserve calendar, checked 23 Sep 2026.
Scheduled FOMC releases
| Date (ET) | Time (ET) | UTC | Your time | In | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week of 5 Oct 2026 | |||||
| Wed 7 Oct 2026 | 2:00 p.m. ET | 18:00 UTC | โ | FOMC FOMC minutes (15โ16 Sep meeting) Fed | |
| Week of 26 Oct 2026 | |||||
| Wed 28 Oct 2026 | 2:00 p.m. ET | 18:00 UTC | โ | FOMC FOMC decision (27โ28 Oct meeting) Fed ยท Press conference 2:30 p.m. ET | |
| Week of 7 Dec 2026 | |||||
| Wed 9 Dec 2026 | 2:00 p.m. ET | 19:00 UTC | โ | FOMC FOMC decision + projections (8โ9 Dec meeting) Fed ยท Summary of Economic Projections; press conference 2:30 p.m. ET | |
| Week of 28 Dec 2026 | |||||
| Wed 30 Dec 2026 | 2:00 p.m. ET | 19:00 UTC | โ | FOMC FOMC minutes (8โ9 Dec meeting) Fed | |
Past releases are hidden.
Official schedule: Federal Reserve Board. Dates can change; the agency's page is the authority.
What it is
The Federal Open Market Committee sets US monetary policy, including the target range for the federal funds rate. It holds eight scheduled meetings a year. The policy statement is released at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on the last day of the meeting, followed by the Chair's press conference at 2:30 p.m. Four meetings a year include a Summary of Economic Projections. Minutes follow about three weeks later.
Markets that often watch it: Gold, Forex, US dollar, Oil.
How markets tend to use it
Analysis, not a forecast
- The decision itself is often expected; markets react to changes in the statement's wording, the projections and the press conference.
- For gold and the dollar, the channel is the expected path of rates and real yields. Reactions can reverse during the press conference.
- Meetings with projections (December 2026) can move expectations more than the decision.
Before the release: a short checklist
- Note both times: the statement at 2:00 p.m. ET and the press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Read the previous statement so you can spot wording changes.
- Decide your risk before 2:00 p.m.: moves can continue or reverse during the press conference.
- If you trade a funded account, check your firm's news rule for rate decisions first.
Size the trade for the stop you would actually use around a release with the position size calculator.
Trading FOMC in a funded account?
Prop firms restrict trading around some news, but only in some phases and on some account types. What their own pages said on 23 Sep 2026:
- FTMO: FTMO's FAQ names the Federal Funds Rate among its restricted events. On a Standard FTMO Account (not during the evaluation) there is a 2-minute window before and after it.
- FundingPips: on master accounts, profits from trades in a 5-minute window around high-impact news (10 minutes around speeches) may be deducted; purposely trading news is prohibited in all phases. High-impact events in the FundingPips Economic Calendar on the trader dashboard.
Rules change and differ by account type. VERIFY CURRENT DATA on the firm's own page before you trade.
Compare news trading rulesAdChoosing an account for FOMC day?
FTMO's FAQ names the Federal Funds Rate among its restricted events. On a Standard FTMO Account that means no opening or closing trades for 2 minutes before and after; Swing accounts have no news restriction. Read the rules for your account type before you choose.
See FTMO plans and feesDisclosure: Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you use them, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. This does not determine our editorial analysis, reviews or comparisons.
AdSet alerts before FOMC
Mark your levels and set price alerts on a chart before the release, so you are not reacting to the first spike. Check TradingView's current plans on the official site.
Explore TradingViewDisclosure: Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you use them, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. This does not determine our editorial analysis, reviews or comparisons.
Related
Frequently asked questions
When is the next FOMC meeting?
The Federal Reserve calendar lists the remaining 2026 meetings on 27โ28 October and 8โ9 December. The December meeting includes a Summary of Economic Projections. Dates are tentative until confirmed at the preceding meeting.
What time is the FOMC decision released?
The statement is released at 2:00 p.m. ET on the second day of the meeting and the press conference starts at 2:30 p.m. ET, per the Federal Reserve's calendar.
When are the FOMC minutes published?
About three weeks after the meeting. The Fed calendar lists 7 October 2026 (September meeting) and 30 December 2026 (December meeting), at 2:00 p.m. ET.
What are the 2027 FOMC dates?
The Federal Reserve lists 26โ27 January, 16โ17 March, 27โ28 April, 8โ9 June, 27โ28 July, 14โ15 September, 26โ27 October and 7โ8 December 2027. Projections come with the March, June, September and December meetings.
Sources (4)
ShowHide
Official or primary sources used for the facts above. Figures and terms change, so check the source before acting on them.
- Federal Reserve โ Meeting calendars and informationAccessed
- Federal Reserve โ Calendar: October 2026Minutes 7 Oct at 2:00 p.m.; press conference 28 Oct at 2:30 p.m.Accessed
- Federal Reserve โ Calendar: December 2026Press conference 9 Dec at 2:30 p.m.; minutes 30 Dec at 2:00 p.m.Accessed
- Federal Reserve โ Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement (17 June 2026)Statement released at 2:00 p.m. EDT.Accessed
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