Gold Slips as Fed Policy Statement Looms

Gold futures inched lower Wednesday ahead of an eagerly awaited policy statement from the Federal Reserve due after prices for the metal settle for the session. February gold was $2.80, or 0.2%, lower at $1,117.80 an ounce, after the precious metal closed Tuesday at its highest level since Nov. 2. April gold which is also among the most active contracts, traded at $1,117.80, down $2.80, or 0.3%. Although the Fed isn’t expected to raise...

Oil Ends at 2-Week High as Talk of Oil-Producer Cuts Grow

Oil futures settled at a more than two-week high on Wednesday, buoyed by growing expectations that major oil producers may come to an agreement on output cuts, as U.S. government data showed a dip in domestic crude production. March West Texas Intermediate crude rose 85 cents, or 2.7%, to $32.33 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That was the highest settlement for a most-active contract since Jan. 8. Prices were trading around...

U.S. Stocks Fall After Fed Stands Pat as Apple, Boeing Lead Drop

U.S. stocks sank following no discernible shift in stance from the Federal Reserve amid recent market turmoil, as Apple Inc. and Boeing Co. led a slide after their outlooks disappointed investors. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.1 percent to 1,883.06 at 4 p.m. in New York, after swinging between gains of as much as 0.7 percent and a 1.6 percent loss. Fed policy makers left interest rates unchanged and said they still expect...

U.S. Stocks Climb as Oil Rally Overcomes Apple; Treasuries Slip

Crude continued to set the tone on global financial markets, with U.S. stocks rallying virtually in lockstep with oil after data showed a drawdown at a key American supply hub. Treasuries fell and the dollar fluctuated before the Federal Reserve’s policy decision. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced after falling as much as 0.9 percent, with energy shares leading gains as crude surged above $32 a barrel. Equities slid...

Europe Shares Rise in Late Trade as Oil Boosts Energy Companies

European stocks erased declines to advance in the final minutes of trading as oil rebounded and investors assessed value after some disappointing earnings reports. A measure of energy companies recovered in afternoon trade as oil rose after data showed stockpiles at the biggest U.S. storage hub dropped. Royal Dutch Shell Plc added 2.9 percent after winning shareholder approval to buy BG Group Plc, which gained 3.5 percent. BASF SE lost...