US inflation rises before midterm elections, fuelling rate hike fears Economists divided on Fed rate hike as inflation creates uncertainty before US midterm elections in a tense market.Share this: Donald Trump pauses US tariff hike on furniture, cabinets for one yearDateJanuary 1, 2026In relation toAl-JazeeraUS Fed raises interest rates for first time in three yearsDateSeptember 16, 2026In relation toAl-JazeeraTrump says US will not strike Iran before midterm electionsDateOctober 9, 2026In relation toAl-Jazeera