STOCKS/ECONOMY
-Stock futures are modestly higher after Tuesday's 299-point loss for the Dow, larger 0.8 percent decline for the S&P 500, and a 0.9 percent fall for the Nasdaq. Investors are likely going to tread water today as they await the Fed decision this afternoon.
-The Fed is not expected to make any change to interest rates today, but investors will be looking for clues about when rates could change in the Fed's statement released along with its interest rate decision.
-The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is down to 4.37 percent.
-The average 30-year mortgage rate fell to 6.84 percent from 6.93 percent the week before. But applications for new mortgages fell by 3 percent and refinance applications fell by 2 percent.
-Gold is at the $3,401 per ounce level. Bitcoin is at the $104,800 level.
-Asian markets closed mixed today. The Hang Seng sold off by 1.1 percent, the Nikkei gained 0.9 percent, and the Shenzhen rose 0.2 percent.
OIL/ENERGY
-U.S. crude prices are up and at the $75 a barrel level.
-Gasoline prices are up to $3.18 a gallon, national average.
CRASH PROBE
-Preliminary evidence shows that the emergency power system was likely activated in the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed last week. That's raising concerns that the jet's regular engines may not have been functioning properly at take off. Boeing (BA) shares are flat in the premarket.
AI WARS
-OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman says Meta (META) has been trying to poach some of his company's top leaders with bonus packages as big as $100 million. Meta shares are flat in the premarket.
TAX WARS
-President Trump is looking to raise the estate tax exemption to $15 million and make that increase permanent.
CONSULTING BOOM
-Consulting firm Korn Ferry (KFV) reported better than expected quarterly profits and revenues. Its shares are up 12 percent in the premarket.
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