With the latest increase, the Fed's target interest rate is set in a range between 4.50% and 4.75% — its highest level since late 2007. The Fed has been rapidly hiking rates since March of 2022 in a bid to snuff out persistent inflation.

The raise is more modest than the previous 0.75% consecutive increases, which comes as inflation starts to slow in the US. The move comes hours ahead of expected similar decisions in Europe and the UK.

Sweden's Riksbank has kicked off what's expected to be a series of interest rate hikes around the world, as central banks struggle to curb inflation. The 100 basis point hike is Sweden's biggest in three decades, in response to a cost-of-living crisis that's affecting households and businesses.

The Bank of England has warned that Britain is facing a recession as it hiked its benchmark interest rate by 0.5%.

The Fed added 0.75% to its benchmark interest rate for a second straight time. The increase of the interest rate to its highest level in four years comes as inflation continues to reach new heights.

The European Central Bank has left the interest rate unchanged but indicated that it will rise in July — the first hike since 2011. It is also halting a program which ultimately amounts to printing electronic money.

It's been a rollercoaster 24 hours on global stock markets, with huge swings on Wall Street and volatility hitting its highest level since October 2020. Investors are waiting for the decision from the US Federal Reserve on when it will start raising interest rates, but are also concerned about the rising tensions at Ukraine's border. Meanwhile, Bitcoin has slumped as low as $33,000, down over 50 percent from its peak in November. Our Business Editor Stephen Carroll has the details.

Stock markets slumped in Asia on Thursday and European shares started the day's trading in the red, after signals from the US Federal Reserve that it could raise interest rates more than three times in 2022. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank's policy committee was "of a mind" to start raising rates in March, and that it would be guided by the economic data. FRANCE 24's Business Editor Stephen Carroll looks at market reaction to the announcements.

The US Federal Reserve is setting the stage to raise interest rates in March, to combat elevated inflation. It's also taking further steps to phase out its emergency support of the US economy. Nancy Vanden Houten, Lead US Economist at Oxford Economics, says America's central bank has limited tools to fight the surge in prices. Also in the show - workers at France's EDF go on strike, over government efforts to limit electricity bills.

The Federal Reserve is paving the way for possible interest rate hikes next year, in an effort to contain stubbornly high inflation. At the conclusion of a two-day policy meeting Wednesday, the central bank announced plans to phase out its large-scale bond-buying program faster than initially planned. The Fed started purchasing bonds during the pandemic as a way to keep borrowing costs across the economy low and to prevent any market disruptions.

The European Central Bank has announced it is leaving its benchmark refinancing rate on hold at a historic low of 0%.