STORY: The Federal Reserve is once again raising interest rates significantly. The rate will rise 75 basis points to a range of 3.75 to 4.00 percent, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday. At the same time, Powell signaled that the Fed could slow down a bit in December or February. However, he did not intend to take a break. “In my opinion, it is very premature to think or talk about a pause in rate hikes. We still have a long way to go. We need steady rate hikes to reach levels that are sufficiently restrictive. And of course we don’t know right where that is.” The Fed’s decision triggered an emotional roller coaster ride in the markets. Hoping for a slower rate of interest from the US Federal Reserve, US investors initially grabbed stocks, but then got cold feet. In particular, Powell’s rejection of an interest rate pause acted as a damper on sentiment. In view of an inflation rate of 8.2 percent recently, the central bank is still under monetary policy pressure. Some economists fear that the US economy will run out of breath as interest rates rise and a recession will break out. According to Powell, the corridor for a “soft landing” of the economy has narrowed. However, it is still possible that a recession can be avoided.