(Kitco News) – The Federal Reserve is unlikely to surprise markets with a rate hike at Wednesday’s meeting, but July’s trio of dissenters could return, and Warsh’s press conference could offer clues about where the central bank’s focus lies for the balance of 2026, according to Natixis.

Economists Christopher Hodge and Selin Aker wrote in Natixis’ FOMC preview that the messaging from Fed speakers on monetary policy has been mixed, with Collins, Paulson and Hammack appearing to lean toward further hikes, while Jefferson, Williams and Waller seeming to support a wait-and-see approach following the last meeting’s rate increase, and Fed chair Warsh, for his part, has maintained a neutral tone.

“After hiking for the first time in three years in September, we expect the Fed to keep its policy rate on hold at an upper bound of 4.0% when it announces its policy decision on Wednesday,” they said.…