Stale reading on Fed's inflation gauge keeps central bank on course to hold rates next week

Group 1 - The Federal Reserve is likely to maintain interest rates steady next week, as indicated by the delayed reading of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, which showed a year-over-year inflation increase of 2.8% excluding food and energy prices, and a month-over-month increase of 0.2% [1] - The Bureau of Economic Analysis combined October and November PCE data due to a government shutdown, which has created challenges in interpreting inflation trends [2] - Consumer spending remained robust in the fall, with economic growth in the third quarter revised upward to 4.4%, driven by stronger exports and business spending [3] Group 2 - Real consumption increased by 0.3% in both October and November, suggesting that the economy may not require additional policy support [4] - The Federal Reserve is expected to keep rates in the range of 3.5% to 3.75% after having cut rates three times in the previous fall [4]