#DotPlotSignalsOneMoreHikeIn2026
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released its latest Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) on September 16, 2026, confirming that the median "dot plot" path signals one additional 25-basis-point interest rate hike in 2026. This follows the committee's unanimous 12-0 vote to raise the benchmark federal funds rate by a quarter point to a new target range of 3.75% to 4.00%, a direct response to persistent inflation pressures and rising energy costs. The updated median projection points to a year-end target rate of 4.00% to 4.25% (represented as 4.1% in rounded metrics), proving that a hawkish "higher-for-longer" monetary cycle is firmly back on the table under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released its latest Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) on September 16, 2026, confirming that the median "dot plot" path signals one additional 25-basis-point interest rate hike in 2026. This follows the committee's unanimous 12-0 vote to raise the benchmark federal funds rate by a quarter point to a new target range of 3.75% to 4.00%, a direct response to persistent inflation pressures and rising energy costs. The updated median projection points to a year-end target rate of 4.00% to 4.25% (represented as 4.1% in rounded metrics), proving that a hawkish "higher-for-longer" monetary cycle is firmly back on the table under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh.