# Fed decision: Interest rates held steady, economic growth is 'well below' pre-pandemic level

> The Federal Reserve held its benchmark overnight lending rate near zero, where it has been since March 15, at its July 28-29 meeting. The post-meeting statement said economic activity and employment have picked up but remain well below early-2020 levels, and the Fed committed to continuing bond purchases and lending programs.

- Date: 2020-07-29 · published 2020-07-29T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/52026-fed-decision-interest-rates-held-steady-economic-growth-is-well-below-pre
- Commodities: [US Dollar (Broad)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DXY.md), [Crude Oil (WTI)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WTI.md)

## Why it matters

A dovish, unchanged Fed keeps real yields low and the dollar under pressure, which tends to support dollar-priced commodities and the currencies of commodity exporters. The weak demand outlook also limits upside in energy-linked feed costs.

## Read by commodity

- DXY: bearish ▼
- WTI: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DXY | 2021-04-28 | [Fed decision April 2021: Interest rates held near zero, sees faster growth](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47513-fed-decision-april-2021-interest-rates-held-near-zero-sees-faster-growth.md) | +0.3% | -1.0% |
| DXY | 2020-09-16 | [Fed decision September 2020: Interest rates unchanged](https://feedsoft.ai/events/51032-fed-decision-september-2020-interest-rates-unchanged.md) | +0.8% | +0.1% |
| DXY | 2017-06-14 | [Dollar falls after Fed interest rate decision](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10197-dollar-falls-after-fed-interest-rate-decision.md) | +0.6% | -0.9% |
| DXY | 2019-01-01 | [Fed decision: Central bank lifts interest rates, lowers forecasts to two hikes in 2019](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61751-fed-decision-central-bank-lifts-interest-rates-lowers-forecasts-to-two-hikes-in.md) | -0.7% | -1.7% |
| DXY | 2024-01-31 | [Fed's Powell sees lower rates on the horizon as inflation ebbs, economy bounces ahead \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/32027-fed-s-powell-sees-lower-rates-on-the-horizon-as-inflation-ebbs-economy-bounces.md) | +0.3% | +0.4% |
| WTI | 2023-06-20 | [TODAY IN ENERGY: U.S. diesel prices have fallen below prices from before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35679-today-in-energy-u-s-diesel-prices-have-fallen-below-prices-from-before-russia-s.md) | -3.6% | +5.5% |
| WTI | 2017-03-15 | [Will A Fed Rate Hike Boost The Price Of Oil? \| Investing.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71924-will-a-fed-rate-hike-boost-the-price-of-oil-investing-com.md) | -0.6% | +12.6% |
| WTI | 2020-07-30 | [Analysis: First Chinese gas contracts linked to international LNG prices signal oil-gas decoupling continues \| S&P Global](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52294-analysis-first-chinese-gas-contracts-linked-to-international-lng-prices-signal.md) | +2.6% | +5.1% |

## Sources

- cnbc.com: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/29/fed-meeting-decision-interest-rates.html

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.