In the final stretch before the Fed, European stock markets are expected to fall. Thus, the Eurostoxx 50 opened at 5,007.92 points (+0.50%), the CAC 40 at 8,201.05 points (+0.65%), the DAX 40 at 17,987.49 points (+0.31%), the FTSE 100 at 7,738.30 points (+0.50%), the SMI at 11,577.80 points (-0.39%), the AEX at 860.30%, the FTSE 100 at 7,738.30 points (+0.20%), the SMI at 11,577.80 points (-0.39%), the AEX at 860.39% 69 points (+0.81%), the BEL 20 at 3,681.14 points (+0.22%), the IBEX 35 at 10,701.40 points (+0.99%), the DJIA at 39,110.76 points (+0.83%), the Nasdaq at 166.1.14 points (+0.83%), the Nasdaq at 166.79 points (+0.22%), the IBEX 35 at 10,701.40 points (+0.99%), the DJIA at 39,110.76 points (+0.83%), the Nasdaq at 166.79 points (+0.83%), the Nasdaq at 16,166.79 points (+0.39%), the S&P 500 at 5,178.51 points (+0.56%) and the Nikkei 225 at 40. 003.60 points (+0.66%

As far as exchange rates are concerned, the change from the close in New York indicates that the EUR/USD was 1.0867 (-0.01%), the EUR/JPY was 164.63 (+0.42%), and the USD/JPY was 151.51 (+0.53%).

The boat manufacturer Bénéteau confirmed on Tuesday that it expects a current operating margin of between 7% and 10% in 2024, after recording record results last year.

European equity markets are expected to open lower on Wednesday, while investors await the Federal Reserve's (Fed) monetary policy decision. Around 7:40 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract lost 57.5 points, or 0.7%, according to data from the broker IG, the one on the DAX 40 lost 4.3 points, or 0.02%, and the FTSE 100 contract gave up 6.7 points, or 0.1%. The CAC 40 finished on Tuesday with a new record of 8,201.05

Investors expect the US central bank to leave its interest rates unchanged, in the range of 5.25% to 5.5%, and will instead focus on its latest projections for the economy and interest rates. Some central bankers may not want to lower rates due to signs of persistent inflation in the service sector in the United States, warns Rick Rieder, investment director for fixed income products at BlackRock

In Asia, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) left its key interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, after maintaining the benchmark rate level this month. The one-year LPR was maintained at 3.45% and the five-year Loan Prime Rate (LPR), the rate used for mortgages, remained at 3.95%, the Chinese central bank said

After these announcements, the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5% at the end of the session, while the Hang Seng on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange gained 0.3%. The Tokyo Stock Exchange remained closed on Wednesday for a public holiday in Japan

In the eurozone, monetary policy will also receive the attention of the markets. On the eve of the Bank of England's rate decision, the inflation figures for February in the United Kingdom will be examined. In the eurozone, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) will give a speech at a conference organized by the institution in Frankfurt.

On Tuesday, U.S. Treasury bond yields fell the steepest in about two weeks, as investor attention turned to the Fed's monetary policy decision. Investors are still waiting for a fall in bond yields, but they're not as convinced as before, according to a survey of global fund managers conducted in March by Bank of America. This month, 40% of investors surveyed expect bond yields to fall, compared to 62% in December 2023, according to this survey

The euro was stable on Wednesday against the dollar pending the Fed's announcements. Rate forecasts by Fed members, called the “dot plot”, should be the focus of attention, with markets currently integrating rate cuts of around 72 basis points by the end of 2024, slightly less than the three cuts planned by the December “dot plot”, say Maybank analysts. Signs that this “regime change” is already under way have increased recently, especially with the Bank of Japan's decision on Monday to raise interest rates

Oil futures fell slightly on Wednesday morning as traders await the Fed's decision. However, benchmark oil contracts “could give up some of their recent gains if the Fed's discourse of 'high rates for an extended period' takes over international financial markets,” said Han Tan. At around 7:30am, the May contract for North Sea Brent lost 11 cents, to 87.25 dollars per barrel, while the April contract for light sweet crude (WTI) listed on the Nymex lost 18 cents, to 82.55 dollars