The Federal Reserve voted today to cut interest rates by half a percentage point for the first time since 2020 and to make a bolder start, Nick Timiraos, the Fed's mouthpiece, said in a new article. Mr. Powell's decision to cut rates by more than most analysts had expected just a few days ago puts the Fed firmly in a new phase of its fight against inflation as it tries to prevent past rate hikes from further weakening the US labour market. "We are committed to maintaining the strength of our eco...