Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:
1. Focus on Fed
1. Focus on Fed
Investors are watching the U.S. Federal Reserve as the central bank issues its decision on interest rates at 2 p.m. ET. Fed Chair Janet Yellen will explain the decision at a press conference at 2:30 p.m.
The Fed raised rates in December for the first time in nearly a decade, even as other major central banks were pushing their rates deeper into negative territory.
Most market watchers are not expecting a Fed rate hike this time around. But smart investors will be listening to how optimistic Yellen sounds about current inflation trends for indications about future policy plans. The Fed is hoping to see inflation hit 2%; it's currently sitting around 1.3%.
2. Oil producers agree to meet
2. Oil producers agree to meet
The world's top oil producers are finally meeting to talk about their problems. A meeting between members of OPEC and other major oil producers will take place on April 17 in Doha.
Crude oil prices have crashed over the last two years, but recently staged a rally based on expectations that major producers will freeze production in an effort to drain excess supply from the market.
Crude oil futures are rising by about 2% to trade at $37 per barrel on Wednesday.
3. Global market overview
3. Global market overview
U.S. stock futures are holding steady ahead of the open. European markets are edging up in early trading. Asian markets closed the day with mixed results.
The price for precious metals and gold are rising, while industrial metal prices are falling.
4. Stock markets and economics
4. Stock markets and economics
Europe is about to get a new financial markets giant with the scale to compete with U.S. rivals.
The London Stock Exchange (LDNXF) has agreed to join forces with Deutsche Boerse, which operates the main German stock market in Frankfurt.
Billed as a "merger of equals," the all-share transaction is effectively a takeover: Deutsche Boerse (DBOEF) shareholders will end up owning more than 54% of the new combined group, and the company's CEO -- Carsten Kengeter -- will be chief executive.
The U.K. government is announcing its budget plans Wednesday, which could influence trading in the British currency. The pound is weakening in early trading against nearly all major currencies. It has been weighed down in recent weeks by uncertainty about the country's prospects should Britons vote to quit the European Union in June.
