The Fed Is at a Crossroads on Rates. Powell Will Offer Clues Today.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will have a chance to explain where the central bank is headed in its fight against inflation in a speech to be delivered Thursday. The key will be whether Powell tips his hand toward another quarter-percentage-point interest-rate hike when Fed officials meet in November, or echoes recent comments from Fed colleagues suggesting the central bank is likely to hold rates steady. Powell’s remarks are set to begin 12 p.m. ET at an event hosted by the Economic Club of New York.