FOMC (การประชุมเฟด / ธนาคารกลางสหรัฐ)
The FOMC is the US Federal Reserve committee that meets regularly to decide the US interest rate, which often moves the dollar, gold and stocks.
FOMC stands for Federal Open Market Committee. It is the part of the US Federal Reserve (the Fed) that votes on US monetary policy. Its most watched decision is the target range for the federal funds rate, the main short-term US interest rate.
The committee meets about eight times a year. After each meeting it publishes a statement saying whether rates are raised, cut or left unchanged. The Fed chair then usually holds a press conference. Detailed minutes come out about three weeks later. Some meetings also include new economic projections, often called the "dot plot".
Simple example: The target range is 4.25%–4.50%. If the FOMC cuts by 0.25 percentage points, the new range is 4.00%–4.25%.
Why it matters: US interest rates affect the US dollar, gold, bond yields and stock prices. That makes FOMC days important for pairs like EURUSD and USDJPY, and for XAUUSD (gold). The announcement usually comes in the evening in New York, which is late night or very early morning in Thailand and Laos.
Common beginner mistake: Thinking "rate cut = dollar always falls". Markets already price in what they expect, so the surprise, or the tone of the statement and press conference, often matters more than the decision itself. Prices can also jump quickly and spreads can widen around the release, so trading right at the announcement carries extra risk.