US Federal Reserve Chair Chair Jerome Powell departs after speaking at a press conference at the end of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, DC, on May 1, 2024. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a sixth straight meeting on May 1, keeping the level at a 23-year high to fight stubborn price increases. At the end of a two-day meeting, the Fed kept the benchmark lending rate unchanged at 5.25-5.50 percent, citing a "lack of further progress" towards its two percent inflation target. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)