The federal funds rate is a benchmark that influences other interest rates throughout the economy. The Federal Reserve doesn't control the federal funds rate directly. Instead, it uses various monetary policy tools to steer the benchmark toward a target range, which is currently 4.75% to 5%.

FedEx stock was falling sharply in premarket trading Friday after the company reported worse-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings.The economy just isn’t helping, and there is a troubling shift happening which shows why the Fed just cut benchmark interest rates.

Bond yields typically decline amid rate cutting, so the yield curve might remain inverted at least through next March.