PANews reported on March 21 that, according to Cailian Press, Wall Street is concerned that escalating conflicts in the Middle East could lead to a surge in international oil prices, potentially reigniting inflation in the United States and prompting the Federal Reserve to pause interest rate cuts or even raise rates. Bank of America stated that whether the Fed will raise interest rates this year has become a recurring question among its clients. The bank's response is that while the possibility cannot be completely ruled out, the Fed must meet certain conditions to raise rates, including a stable labor market, further inflation, and Jerome Powell remaining as Fed Chairman. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, Wall Street traders expect a greater than 30% probability of a Fed rate hike by the end of the year, while the probability of a rate cut is only 6.1%.


