Sarah Foster

U.S. ECONOMY REPORTER

EXPERTISE

Economy
Federal Reserve
U.S. economic policy
Personal finance
Taxes
Unemployment insurance (UI)

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in News-Editorial Journalism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Master of Science in Journalism, Northwestern University

The Federal Reserve is one of the most complex institutions in the world; yet, its decisions impact consumers’ wallets more than any other policymaker in Washington, D.C. My goal is to remove some of the mystery surrounding the U.S. central bank, so you can be an even smarter consumer.
— Sarah Foster

About the author

Bankrate.com writer Sarah Foster covers the Federal Reserve, the U.S. economy and economic policy. Originally from a small town in rural Illinois, Foster developed a passion for economics while watching her community recover from the Great Recession. She witnessed just how much Main Street is impacted by Wall Street and saw firsthand that the Federal Reserve’s most well-intentioned policies can still leave those most desperate for help behind.

Experience

Sarah previously worked for Bloomberg News, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Daily Herald and has been quoted in several national and regional media outlets, including Yahoo! News, NBC, the Toronto Star, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and more.

Media mentions

The Federal Reserve is one of the most complex institutions in the world; yet, its decisions impact consumers’ wallets more than any other policymaker in Washington, D.C. My goal is to remove some of the mystery surrounding the U.S. central bank, so you can be an even smarter consumer.
— Sarah Foster

Sarah's latest articles

Here’s why low inflation has the Fed concerned right now

With the best job market in decades, the Fed is wondering why there isn’t more inflation.

7 min read May 07, 2019
Jobs surge in April, unemployment rate drops to 49-year low

April jobs numbers beat expectations with unemployment dropping, but wages missed estimates.

4 min read May 03, 2019
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, notes unexpectedly soft inflation

The Fed continues to delay any interest rate moves amid persistently low inflation.

4 min read May 01, 2019
Here’s how much Trump’s Fed picks could actually shake up the central bank

The Fed might find itself in a tricky situation.

7 min read Apr 30, 2019
U.S. economy blows away expectations in the first quarter, but questions remain

GDP expanded by 3.2 percent, but gains came from the typically more volatile components.

3 min read Apr 26, 2019
3 things to watch for at the Fed’s April-May meeting

The Fed will most likely hold interest rates steady, but here’s how it could still impact your wallet.

7 min read Apr 26, 2019
Nearly half of Americans say Washington politics is the biggest threat to economy

Yet, only 25 percent say these economic concerns are leading them to spend less.

6 min read Apr 17, 2019
Fed officials say rates could shift in ‘either direction’ depending on economic growth

Federal Reserve officials are giving themselves room to be flexible with monetary policy.

3 min read Apr 10, 2019
Job growth rebounds with 196,000 rise, unemployment rate holds at 3.8 percent

While the jobs number came in strong, wage gains missed estimates.

5 min read Apr 05, 2019
Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged, sees no more hikes this year

The Fed voted to leave interest rates alone for the second-straight meeting.

5 min read Mar 20, 2019
Here’s what top economists say will be the biggest risks to economic growth this year

Economists weigh in on whether risks to the economic outlook are more heavily tilted toward the downside, the upside or balanced.

3 min read Mar 14, 2019
Powell promotes rate pause in final remarks before upcoming Fed meeting

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank is in no rush to adjust rates.

4 min read Mar 11, 2019
U.S. added only 20,000 jobs in February, unemployment rate falls below 4 percent

The U.S. economy added fewer jobs than expected in February, while wages picked up more than forecast and the unemployment rate fell.

5 min read Mar 08, 2019
Economists survey: Expect the Fed to hike again in 2019, but mortgage rates won’t take off

Two-thirds of economists surveyed say the U.S. central bank will increase borrowing costs again in 2019.

6 min read Mar 06, 2019
U.S. economy grew 2.6% in the fourth quarter, better than expected

The U.S. economy expanded at a slower pace in the fourth quarter of 2018, but came in well ahead of estimates.

4 min read Feb 28, 2019