The Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee held its first 2016 meeting this week, but it wasn't all roses and sunflowers following their historic move to start boosting interest rates in December.
Instead, Fed committee members expressed doubt about the U.S. economy's blossoming growth, which they said slowed late in 2015 despite an improved job market.
Oil prices continue to drop amid global economic unrest, particularly in China, one of the world's most influential economies. Private sector powerhouses Apple and Boeing have produced poor outlooks this month, which also dragged stock market industrial averages lower this week.
The Fed will hold its next meeting in mid-March, and depending on how the economic picture adjusts, a slight increase in central interest rates is possible. Many analysts expected four slight rate increases to come in 2016, but that will largely depend on how Fed officials interpret economic data in coming months. They will be paying attention to see if wage growth, stock markets and inflation rates improve before budging on interest rates.
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