Federal Reserve expected to raise interest rates

The Federal Open Market Committee, the rate-setting panel for the US Federal Reserve, began its deliberations Wednesday with …

The Federal Open Market Committee, the rate-setting panel for the US Federal Reserve, began its deliberations Wednesday with a rate hike widely expected.

Much of Wall Street's interest was expected to be on the central bank's post-meeting statement.

A decision on rates is expected to be announced at around 7:15 p.m. Irish time.

As a quarter percentage point hike is widely expected, traders are looking to the statement the FOMC issues after its meeting for more clues about the US central bank's views about the economy's health.

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At its previous meeting in September, the Fed said it still felt monetary policy was "accommodative," and that it could raise rates "at a pace that is likely to be measured."

The FOMC's next meeting is set for December 14th.