Dubai: The US Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, a move that will directly influence the UAE given the dirham’s peg to the US dollar. The Federal Open Market Committee begins its two-day meeting on Tuesday, with policymakers seen holding rates in a 3.50% to 3.75% range. That would mark a third consecutive pause after earlier rate cuts, as officials assess inflation trends and global developments. For the UAE, the transmission is straightforward. Policy moves in Washington are typically mirrored by the central bank, keeping local lending conditions broadly aligned with the US. Iran tensions in focus The meeting comes against a backdrop of elevated energy prices following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil flows. For the Gulf, this dynamic supports revenues but also feeds into global inflation trends that the Fed is monitoring.…