October 28: The US Federal Reserve’s October 27–28 policy meeting is scheduled to conclude with a statement on October 28 at 2pm US Eastern time. For Asian readers, the release falls late at night in India and in the early hours of October 29 in several major financial centres.
File photo: Federal Reserve’s Eccles Building, Washington, March 2011. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System / Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Cropped and resized. Image source · Licence
Key highlights
- The official calendar lists a two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
- The statement is scheduled for October 28 at 2pm US Eastern.
- The press conference follows at 2:30pm US Eastern.
- The calendar does not reveal what interest-rate decision will be taken.
When to follow the announcement in Asia
The table converts the Fed’s published release time using US Eastern Daylight Time, UTC−4, applicable on October 28. It is important to check the date as well as the hour: several Asian locations will already be on Thursday.
| Location | Statement | Press conference |
|---|---|---|
| US Eastern | October 28, 2pm | October 28, 2:30pm |
| India | October 28, 11:30pm | October 29, midnight |
| Singapore / Hong Kong | October 29, 2am | October 29, 2:30am |
| Tokyo / Seoul | October 29, 3am | October 29, 3:30am |
Our calculation: India is 9 hours 30 minutes ahead of US Eastern Daylight Time; Singapore and Hong Kong are 12 hours ahead, and Tokyo and Seoul are 13 hours ahead.
Three different pieces of information
The initial statement, the subsequent press conference and the meeting minutes are separate releases. Readers should distinguish the decision announced in the statement from explanations offered afterwards and the fuller account released later.
The Fed’s calendar lists the next scheduled meeting for December 8–9. Its published monetary-policy schedule also places the October meeting’s minutes on November 18. These dates provide a timeline for follow-up, not a forecast of policy outcomes.
Why Asian readers follow it
US policy can affect the wider discussion of dollar financing and international markets. That does not make any currency, share-price or bond-market reaction certain. Market responses depend on what was already expected as well as the decision and its explanation.
For reporting purposes, the key is to wait for the actual statement. A prediction that rates will rise, fall or remain unchanged is not an official decision.
What to watch
Check the Fed’s statement first, then the press conference for clarification. This article is a release-time guide and does not recommend a trade or investment.
Sources
- Federal Reserve: October 2026 calendar
- Federal Reserve: FOMC calendars and information
- Federal Reserve: Monetary policy schedule
The Business Desk covers markets, the economy, companies and personal finance. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
