The US Federal Reserve's policy meeting this week has become increasingly difficult to predict, with a growing number of major brokerages warning that policymakers could opt for a hike in interest rates as rising oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions threaten to reignite inflationary pressures.
According to a Reuters report, while most Wall Street firms still expect the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged, the sharp jump in crude oil prices and renewed conflict in the Middle East have significantly increased the possibility of a surprise rate increase.
