Barclays has reiterated its forecast that the Federal Reserve will implement interest rate cuts in 2026, with the first reduction expected in March. According to a report by the bank's U.S. economists, the Fed is anticipated to lower rates by 25 basis points in both March and June. The economists argue that the risk of delaying these cuts outweighs the potential downsides of proceeding as planned. The minutes from the Fed's December policy meeting support Barclays' outlook, suggesting that the Federal Open Market Committee will likely maintain current rates in January to evaluate the effects of previous rate adjustments.