A shopper carries a Hollister bag at a shopping mall in Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 21, 2025.

Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Federal Reserve is on the cusp of a " regime change " after the Department of Justice dropped its criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell , eliminating a potential obstacle to confirming President Donald Trump's nominee, Kevin Warsh, to replace him.

Central bankers are expected to hold interest rates steady at their policy meeting next week — likely Powell's last as chair — doing little to ease consumers' current affordability challenges.

With an inflation shock , a war with Iran and an uncertain labor market, futures market pricing is implying virtually no chance of a rate cut, according to the CME Group's FedWatch gauge.

Brent crude has surged more than 55% since the Iran war began in late February, triggering price jumps for gasoline and jet fuel.…