Fed’s Hawkish Monetary Policy to Drive Banks’ Profitability
Since the Great Recession of 2007–2009, the Federal Reserve has kept its federal funds rate near zero. The central bank raised interest rates to 0.25% from 0.0% in December 2015, the first time since the Great Recession officially ended in mid-2009. Since 2015, the Fed has raised interest rates seven times with one hike each in 2015 and 2016, three in 2017, and two in 2018.