Reply #13: Shares seen edging higher, all eyes on Fed

[ozymandius]

Mar 27, 2006 — FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Shares on Wall Street were expected to open firmer on Monday with all eyes on the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision after a two-day monetary policy meeting, which ends on Tuesday.

-cut-

By 04.40 a.m. EST the S&P 500 <.SPX> future <SPc1> was up 0.02 percent, the Dow Jones <.DJI> future <DJc1> was up 0.01 percent and the Nasdaq <.IXIC> future <NDc1> was 0.12 percent higher.

The three leading indexes are at near five-year highs.

"The focus is above all on the U.S. central bank," Dresdner Bank said in a note, adding that that anything but a 15th consecutive 25 basis point increase in the Fed funds rate — currently at 4.50 percent — would be a giant surprise.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1771491