WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve held rates steady for a fifth straight meeting Wednesday but faced rare dissents from two officials seeking an immediate cut.The decision followed a period of intense political pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell by the White House to lower interest rates.

Jerome Powell’s authority at the Federal Reserve keeps chipping at the edges.

Interest rates for credit cards to mortgages have jumped since the Fed began fighting inflation in 2022. Here's where experts think rates are headed.