Federal Reserve officials restated their pledge to hold thebenchmark interest rate near zero and will keepbuying bonds, judging that the coronavirus pandemic "poses considerable risksto the economic outlook over the medium term."

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said in a unanimousstatement Wednesday in Washington that it "will use its tools andact as appropriate to support the economy."

Officials Wednesday left unchanged their vague guidance on thefuture path of rates. The statement repeated language from March 15saying the committee would keep the benchmark target range nearzero "until it is confident that the economy has weathered recentevents and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and pricestability goals."