The head of the U.S. central bank will give an updated assessment of the nation’s economy on Wednesday.

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s anticipated remarks come after two days of consultations with other top bank officials and after several disappointing economic reports. The latest came earlier Wednesday, showing a decline in applications for mortgages.

Economists interviewed by news agencies predict the Fed will keep interest rates steady in the ultra-low range where they have been for some time.

Analysts also predict the bank will allow another program designed to stimulate the economy to expire as scheduled at the end of June. That effort is called “quantitative easing” and involves the purchase of a large quantity of financial assets to help drive down long-term interest rates.

The Fed’s job is to promote full employment and stable prices. Officials eventually will have to end efforts to stimulate the economy or risk the economic damage coming from increased inflation.