Walk down Fordham Road at any hour and you will notice something subtle: even while merchants bargain and subway riders swipe MetroCards, a distant boardroom in Washington is steering the cost of each dollar changing hands. That boardroom belongs to the Federal Reserve, and its interest-rate decisions ripple through storefronts, brokerage accounts, and kitchen-table budgets alike. In this leaner, more focused guide, we will examine the five biggest ways those ripples reach you, whether you are an aspiring investor, a local entrepreneur, or both.

Why the Fed’s Decisions Flow to Main Street

Every economy runs on credit. When the Fed nudges its benchmark rate higher, banks pay more to borrow from one another overnight, and they quickly pass that extra cost to consumers and small businesses.

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