U.S. Fed keeps key lending rate unchanged for 3rd straight time

▲ This file photo, taken March 13, 2015, shows the Federal Reserve's headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Yonhap)

FOMC-benchmark rate

U.S. Fed keeps key lending rate unchanged for 3rd straight time

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Federal Reserve held its benchmark lending rate steady for a third consecutive time during a monetary policy meeting on Wednesday.

After the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the central bank announced the decision to keep the rate between 5.25 and 5.50 percent.

After raising the benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point to the current level at the July meeting, the Fed froze it in the ensuing FOMC meetings in September and November.

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