Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Fed Lowers Interest Rates as Expected, Leaves Door Open to More Cuts Reuters The Federal Reserve cut interest rates on Wednesday for the first time since 2008, citing concerns about the global economy and muted U.S. inflation, and signaled a readiness to lower borrowing costs further if needed. Financial markets had widely expected the quarter-percentage-point rate cut, which lowered the U.S. central bank's benchmark overnight lending rate to a target range of 2% to 2.25%. In a statement at the end of its latest two-day policy meeting, the Fed said it had decided to cut rates "in light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflation pressures." .