(Washington, DC)  --  The Federal Reserve is keeping key interest rates unchanged at between zero and a quarter-percent.

   The Federal Open Market Committee of the nation's central bank made the announcement Wednesday at the conclusion of a two-day meeting in Washington, DC.

    In its statement following the decision, the FOMC said "economic activity has continued to pick up."

   Even so, it noted that although the housing sector is beginning to recover, other indicators remain weak.

   That includes household spending constrained by unemployment, in addition to slow business spending on staffing and capital investments.

   On the positive side, the Fed expects inflation will not be a problem in the near term.

   The vote by the FOMC to keep interest rates unchanged was unanimous.


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