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Central bank's policy rate remains in 5.25%-5.50% rangeFed says economy grew at 'strong' pace in third quarterTraders add to bets that Fed is done raising ratesWASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday as policymakers struggled to determine whether financial conditions may be tight enough already to control inflation, or whether an economy that continues to outperform expectations may need still more restraint.Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the situation remained something of a riddle, with U.S. central bank officials willing to raise rates again...

An eagle tops the U.S. Federal Reserve building's facade in Washington, July 31, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday proposed slashing by nearly a third the amount of so-called "swipe fees" banks can charge merchants for processing debit-card transactions, setting up a pitched battle between the two industries over potentially billions of dollars in revenue.Citing data that showed the costs of processing such transactions had fallen by roughly half in recent years, the Fed proposed cutting the current cap...

Barclays Bank logo is seen in this illustration taken March 12, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Barclays Plc (BARC.L) is laying off dozens of staff in its U.S. consumer banking division as part of a global drive to cut costs, according to a source familiar with the situation.The redundancies account for about 3% of employees in the bank's U.S. consumer division, said the source, who declined to be identified discussing personnel matters. The staff were informed earlier this week, the person said."We review...

The Wall St. sign is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 17, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Several U.S. regional banks beat analysts third-quarter profit expectations on Wednesday as higher interest rates allowed them to charge more for loans, although rising loan loss provisions and deposit retention costs crimped margins.Shares of several regional banks fell, including M&T Bank and US Bancorp.Stronger net interest income (NII), the difference between what banks earn from lending and pay out on...

TORONTO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The roughly 75,000 Canadian homeowners awaiting mortgage renewal notices next month are bracing for a shock interest rate jump due to a surprise rise in global bond yields, which will further squeeze already tight household budgets.In Canada, homeowners can take out five-year mortgages, unlike in the U.S. where customers can snag a 30-year mortgage. This means many Canadians who locked into sub 2% fixed-rate mortgages five years back are preparing for renewal letters with a steep rise in interest rates, made worse by the bonds...