The U.S. Federal Open Market Committee has announced its tentative meeting schedule for 2003. The FOMC holds eight regularly scheduled meetings per year.

The FMOC oversees open market operations, which is the main tool used by the Federal Reserve to influence money market conditions and the growth of money and credit..

The Fed’s first meeting next year will be a two-day affair on January 28-29. After that, the Fed next meets March 18, May 6, another two-day meeting June 24-25, August 12, September 16, October 28, and finally December 9.

Some economists do not expect the Fed to begin hiking interest rates in the U.S. until next year. The Fed is expected to take it easy until then due to the slow U.S. recovery and the upcoming mid-term elections this fall, which typically keep the Fed out of the market.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/monetary/2002/20020705/