The Federal Reserve is likely to leave interest rates unchanged this week while keeping its options open for its pivotal December meeting as it…

The Federal Reserve is likely to leave interest rates unchanged this week while keeping its options open for its pivotal December meeting as it assesses signs of more muted growth in the US economy

The majority of Fed policymakers, including chair Janet Yellen, have said they expect the first upward move in the federal funds rate to happen this year, but the picture has become clouded in recent weeks because of slower hiring and a high-level policy split among the Fed’s governors

Further complicating Fed calculations is the prospect of further stimulus by foreign central banks including the European Central Bank — something that could put added upward pressure on the dollar but also help global demand

The Federal Open Market Committee held fire on interest rates in September because of turbulent moves in global markets and fears the Chinese authorities were struggling to keep their economy on track

Economists surveyed by the FT universally forecast no change on Wednesday given the short passage of time since the September meeting, meaning the market’s focus is now squarely on the Fed’s final policy meeting of 2015