The Federal Reserve is under increasing pressure to accelerate interest-rate increases after core inflation rose to 3.7% annualized over the past three months, adding to concerns about renewed price pressures. The Fed raised its policy rate by 25 basis points in September, its first increase in three years, bringing the target range to 3.75%-4.00%. Markets are pricing a near-certain increase at the Dec. 8-9 meeting, described as the last meeting of 2026, with FedWatchtool showing an 86.5% probability of a 25-basis-point move and 13.5% for a 50-basis-point increase. Wall Street Journal chief economics reporter Nick Timiraos said officials had tried to restrain expectations for rapid, successive hikes, but the latest inflation data made that effort more difficult. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee said a 50-basis-point increase should not be ruled out before the meeting. Goldman Sachs now forecasts quarter-point increases in December and March 2027, revising its earlier call for only a December hike. Existing market pressure also reflects Christopher Waller's warning that persistent 0.3% monthly core consumer-price gains could warrant stronger action, while Ed Yardeni has argued for a half-point move.