U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday left the benchmark interest rates unchanged and offered no hint on when it might move.
The central bank painted a relatively upbeat picture for the economy. "Labor market continued to strengthen and ... economic activity has continued to expand at a moderate pace," the central bank in a statement after concluding its two-day policy meeting.
It also acknowledged the improved consumer and business sentiment following the election of Donald Trump as the U.S. President.
The upbeat economic assessment suggested that the central bank should be on track to raise interest rates in the future. Last December, the Fed raised benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points, the first and only time in 2016.