Featured Image

Fed Delivers Second Rate Cut Despite Limited Economic Data

Oct 29, 2025

McLean, Va. (October 29, 2025) — In a move widely telegraphed since the last meeting, the Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate for the second consecutive meeting, landing at a target range of 3.75% to 4.00%. Newly appointed Fed Governor Stephen Miran dissented in preference of a larger half-point cut for the second consecutive meeting. In contrast to the September meeting, there was a second dissent, however, it was in favor of no change to the policy rate.

“There was a noticeable shadow cast over this meeting by the lack of official statistics due to the ongoing government shutdown, however, Chair Powell was confident that despite the loss of granularity, material shifts in economic conditions will be detected in the data that remains available,” said Christopher Chidzik, principal economist of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. “While there are widely held expectations of another cut coming at the December meeting, Chair Powell cautioned that it was not a foregone conclusion citing the potential need to pause and assess economic conditions as the policy rate moves into the range of estimates for the neutral rate.”

Subscribe to the AMT Now newsletter to receive the latest updates on how Fed interest rate decisions impact manufacturing technology markets.

PicturePicture
Author
Kristin Bartschi
Director, Marketing & Communications
Recent intelligence News
After a significant pullback in economic output at the end of 2025, gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded nearly back to trend growth in the first quarter of 2026, according to the first estimate published today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
In what is likely Jerome Powell’s last meeting as chair of the Federal Reserve, the committee opted to leave the benchmark interest rates steady at a target range of 3.5% to 3.75% at their first meeting of 2026.
U.S. industrial production decreased in March 2026 after a strong uptick in February, according to the latest report issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady today at a target range of 3.5%-3.75% in a move that was widely anticipated by financial markets. The quarterly summary of economic projections showed that both growth and inflation was higher than expected.
AMT’s Winter Economic Forum explored the current state of manufacturing, where order values hit record highs but the numbers of units per order have not. Read the recap, learn the prospects ahead, and discover the business opportunities with industrial AI.
Similar News
undefined
Intelligence
By Christopher Chidzik | May 11, 2026

New orders of metalworking machinery totaled $681.3 million in March 2026, increasing 40.3% from February 2026 and 31.5% from March 2025. Manufacturing technology orders totaled $1.61 billion for the first quarter of 2026, up 27.8% year over year.

5 min
undefined
Intelligence
By Christopher Chidzik | Feb 09, 2026

New orders of metalworking machinery hit a record level in December 2025, reaching $814.3 million, 86.7% over November 2025 and 59.9% over December 2024. The value of orders placed in 2025 totaled $5.74 billion, 22.5% above orders placed in 2024.

5 min
undefined
Intelligence
By Kristin Bartschi | Apr 30, 2026

After a significant pullback in economic output at the end of 2025, gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded nearly back to trend growth in the first quarter of 2026, according to the first estimate published today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

3 min