![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=300&cropratio=2:1&image=/news_images_sn/1297174418.jpg "NYSE")
14h59 U.S. stocks were set to open
little changed on Wednesday, holding on to gains over the last
two days, ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve
statement and news conference. Full story
15h32 U.S. stocks opened little
changed on Wednesday, holding much of the gains made over the
last two days, ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve
statement and news conference. Full story
15h27 U.S. Treasuries prices rose on
Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's
announcement at the end of its two-day policy meeting later on
Wednesday for signals over when it may begin to pare back its
bond purchase program.
Anxious investors have been nervously awaiting further signs
fro Full story
14h27 Copper steadied on Wednesday,
keeping within a tight range near six-week lows, as investors
held fire ahead of the conclusion of the Federal Reserve's
two-day policy meeting. Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=140&cropratio=4:3&image=/news_images_sn/1295339089.jpg "Gold bars are displayed at South Africa's Rand Refinery in Germiston")
14h16 Gold edged higher on Wednesday
as stock markets retreated ahead of a Federal Reserve policy
statement, but uncertainty over the future of U.S.. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=140&cropratio=4:3&image=/news_images_sn/1295358333.jpg "Graph with stacks of Australian dollars")
14h09 World shares edged higher while
major currencies and commodities stayed within recent ranges on
Wednesday as investors nervously awaited a decision on the. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=140&cropratio=4:3&image=/news_images_sn/1317652725.jpg "City of London skyline including Tower 42 Gherkin,Willis Building, Stock Exchange Tower and Lloyd`s of London and Canary Wharf at the background")
13h23 Britain's top shares edged lower
by midday on Wednesday and investors were reluctant to make bets
before U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=140&cropratio=4:3&image=/news_images_sn/1297168125.jpg "European flag flying in front of the European Commission building in Brussels")
13h03 European shares were up by
mid-session on Wednesday in light and volatile trade as
investors looked to the U.S. Federal Reserve for clues. . . Full story
14h27 Oil prices rose slightly on
Wednesday following a drop in U.S. oil reserves, while investors
looked to a meeting of the Federal Reserve later in the day for
clues on the outlook for economic. . . Full story
14h06 Sri Lanka's rupee edged
up on Wednesday due to late dollar sales by exporters on thin
volume, with the central bank not intervening in the currency
market, but depreciation pressure on the rupee still. . . Full story
13h23 The dollar was steady against a
basket of currencies on Wednesday with most investors cautious,
awaiting more clarity from the Federal Reserve on how long
monetary policy will remain ultra-loose.
Speculation. . . Full story
12h32 Southeast Asian stock markets
ended mostly weaker to flat on Wednesday as investors trimmed
positions in the emerging region ahead of the results of the
U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting.. . . Full story
11h53 The rand firmed to five-day
highs on Wednesday after better-than-expected South African
current account data but most other emerging assets were broadly
weaker as investors awaited clarity on the U.S. Fed's next
policy step.. . . Full story
11h30 China's short-term funding
costs surged on Wednesday, with the benchmark money market rate
hitting a multi-year high, and authorities postponed the
market's close by 30 minutes to give banks extra time to
complete their borrowing.. . . Full story
11h05 China's yuan ended slightly
stronger on Wednesday, despite data showing declining capital
inflows, as dealers reported continued strong demand for the
currency.
Spot yuan closed at 6.1269 per dollar, 0.03
percent. . . Full story
10h53 Shanghai shares closed at
their lowest since mid-December, exerting pressure on Hong Kong
markets on Wednesday, as a cash squeeze in the mainland worsened
and official news reports further dampened hopes for policy
easing.. . . Full story
10h51 Most emerging Asian
currencies turned higher on Wednesday as investors covered short
positions after recent declines were considered excessive, and
ahead of further clarity on the Federal Reserve's future
monetary policy.
The. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1297168023.jpg "European flag floating in front of the European Commission building in Brussels")
10h08 European shares were down by
mid-morning on Wednesday in what was set to be light and
volatile session as investors look to the U.S. Federal Reserve
for clues on the duration of its equity-friendly. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295432574.jpg "Hong Kong night skyline")
10h07 Hong Kong shares had their
first loss in four days, with cyclical counters hurt by dashed
hopes for monetary easing in China and pressure on defensive
plays ahead of policy statements by the U.S.. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295358059.jpg "European flags in front of the European parliament in Strasbourg, France")
09h38 European shares reversed early
gains on Wednesday to turn red, with traders saying investors
were adjusting positions ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve policy
decision which may shed some light on the duration of. . . Full story 09h37 London copper hovered near
its lowest since early May on Wednesday, as investors looked to
a Federal Reserve meeting for clues on the outlook for a U.S.
stimulus programme that has underpinned commodity prices.. . . Full story
09h19 The South Korean won was
nearly flat in domestic trade Wednesday, recouping initial
losses on dollar selling by exporters and offshore players as
investors waited to hear what the U.S. Federal Reserve says
after its. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295273768.jpg "Exterior of the Australian Securities Exchange")
09h16 Australian shares rose 1 percent
to close at a two-week high on Wednesday, helped by expectations
that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not move quickly to scale
back its monetary stimulus and as a. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295277611.jpg "The foyer of the LSE")
09h12 Britain's top shares rose on
Wednesday in a session where moves were likely to be muted given
uncertainty over whether the U.S. Federal Reserve might soon
scale back the pace of its bond-buying operations.. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1297161183.jpg "Night time view of Pudong Skyline Shanghai, China")
09h08 Shanghai shares closed at a
new six-month low on Wednesday, as a cash squeeze in mainland
money markets worsened and official news reports dampened hopes
for policy easing.. . . Full story 09h03 Seoul shares slipped on Wednesday
as foreign investors were net sellers for a ninth straight
session as the market awaited the results of the U.S. Federal
Reserve's policy meeting for clarity on its stimulus. . . Full story
08h55 Japanese government bonds were
mixed on Wednesday in a move characteristic of low liquidity as
many investors refrained from trading, looking to how the U.S.
Federal Reserve plans to scale back its stimulus programme.. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295360454.jpg "Tokyo Stock Exchange building")
08h49 Japan's Nikkei average hit a
one-week high on Wednesday, with traders citing the launch of a
near $780 million investment trust as a driving factor, while
SoftBank Corp rose as it looked likely to. . . Full story 08h28 China's yuan was little
changed on Wednesday, despite data showing declining capital
inflows, as dealers reported continued strong demand for the
currency.
Spot yuan changed hands at 6.1298 per dollar. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295437803.jpg "Global Markets")
08h16 Japanese stocks rose on
Wednesday, thanks to a positive lead from Wall Street and a
softer yen, outperforming the rest of Asia which anxiously
waited for clarity on the U.S. Federal Reserve's next policy
step.. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1297170050.jpg "Dramatic storm clouds over the towering edifice of the European Central Bank and Euro currency symbol surrounded by the yellow stars of the European Union flag in downtown Frankfurt, Germany")
08h11 European stock index futures
pointed to a slightly higher open on Wednesday, with investors
positioning for no changes in the U.S. monetary policy and the
continuation of stimulus measure for a while longer.. . . Full story 07h57 China's short-term funding
costs surged on Wednesday, with the benchmark money market rate
hitting a multi-year high, but traders brushed aside talk that
the central bank may cut banks' required reserve ratio (RRR) to
boost. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295360524.jpg "Prices are shown on the Tokyo stock exchange ticker board")
04h50 Japan's Nikkei share average rose
to a one-week high on Wednesday morning, underpinned by optimism
that the U.S. Federal Reserve would temper worries about an
imminent roll back of its stimulus programme.. . . Full story 04h12 U.S. oil prices were steady below
$99 on Wednesday as investors waited for the U.S. Federal
Reserve to shed some light on whether it plans to taper its $85
billion stimulus programme.. . . Full story
![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295432563.jpg "Looking down into the Hong Kong CBD")
03h29 Hong Kong shares are poised
to start lower on Wednesday, with high yielding names in the
local property and utilities sectors mostly weaker as investors
await the outcome of a two-day U.S. Federal Reserve. . . Full story![[IMAGE]](http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/image.php?width=100&image=/news_images_sn/1295432585.jpg "Hong Kong night skyline")
03h11 Hong Kong shares may start
lower on Wednesday, with turnover likely weak as most investors
stay on the sidelines awaiting the outcome of a two-day U.S.
Federal Reserve rate-setting meeting later in the day.. . . Full story Commodities on Tuesday ended
little changed for a second straight day as investors awaited
the outcome of a two-day meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve
that is expected to offer further insight into the. . . Full story
The U.S. dollar rose on
Tuesday against the yen for a second straight session as some
traders bet the Federal Reserve may signal it is almost ready to
reduce its bond buying program aimed. . . Full story
U.S. corn futures rose on
Tuesday, led by deferred contracts on technical buying and
forecasts for potentially stressful hot weather in late June,
traders said.
"The thought of any high-pressure ridge. . . Full story
