[Middle East Conflict Disrupts Economic Outlook, Fed Expected to Hold Rates Steady This Week] March 16, Jinshi Data – The market widely anticipates that Federal Reserve officials will keep interest rates unchanged at this week's meeting. Meanwhile, attention is also focused on how the Fed might respond if the consequences of the Middle East conflict contradict its policy objectives. Aditya Bhave, senior economist at Bank of America, stated: 'At present, officials are likely to indicate that they remain in a wait-and-see mode as they closely monitor the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East.' Speaking about the surge in oil prices, Bhave said: 'They don't want to jump to conclusions hastily. This is a supply shock. Supply shocks increase the risk of executing their mandate.' In addition to the complex economic factors, this week's Fed meeting is overshadowed by a tense and significant political storm. Last week, a federal judge ruled to quash the subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Justice against Powell, but U.S. prosecutors have vowed to continue pursuing investigations into the Fed and its leadership. This could disrupt the Fed's planned leadership transition scheduled for May.