New York Fed’s Williams Sees Conditional Late-2026 Rate Hike, Rejects Urgency

Buffalo, New York, 30 September 2026 – New York Federal Reserve President John Williams has said one further US interest-rate increase may be appropriate late this year if the economy develops broadly as he expects. He also stressed that there is no need to rush after the central bank’s September move. For Asian investors, the combination points to continued rate risk but leaves the timing and outcome dependent on incoming data.

Speaking at the University at Buffalo on 29 September, Williams framed another increase as a forecast, not a decision by the Federal Open Market Committee. The Federal Reserve raised its target range by a quarter percentage point earlier in September to 3.75%–4.00%. That step gives policymakers time to assess underlying inflation and the balance between demand and supply, he said. The next move could change if the data depart from his expectations.