According to a report by the Financial Times, economists believe that the uncertainty surrounding President Trump's tariffs has complicated the Federal Reserve's efforts to provide clear guidance on the direction of the economy, as the Fed relies on data. Last week's data showed that inflation slowed more than expected in February, which supports the case for the Fed to resume rate cuts later this year amid signs of economic slowdown. However, policymakers are also weighing people's concerns that the promised trade tariffs could exacerbate inflation or trigger an economic slowdown - or both. RSM US Chief Economist JOE Brusuelas said that "the commitment to future tariffs essentially puts the Fed's data-dependent goal on the back burner, meaning they will have to rely more on a forecasting framework." While the Fed is widely expected to keep rates unchanged this week, investors will closely watch the Fed's economic projections and the post-meeting statement by Chair Powell, which will indicate their views on the path of interest rates in the coming years.