Last week’s scheduled economic reports included readings on inflation, the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. Fed Leaves Key Rate Range Unchanged Federal Reserve policymakers left the Fed’s current interest rate range unchanged at 5.00 to 5.25 percent; the Fed decision was announced after a scheduled meeting of the Fed’s Open Market Committee ended on Wednesday. Factors contributing to the  FOMC policymakers’  decision included the cumulative effects of tightening monetary policy, lags between changing monetary policy and any impact on the economy,…