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European equities traded without clear direction on Wednesday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s much-anticipated interest rate decision later in the day.
By 03:05 ET (08:05 GMT):
- Germany’s DAX slipped 0.1%
- France’s CAC 40 dipped 0.1%
- U.K.’s FTSE 100 edged 0.1% higher
Fed Decision in Focus
Global markets are squarely focused on the Fed’s final policy meeting of the year, where a 25-basis-point rate cut is widely expected.
Key points:
- The Fed last cut rates on October 29, taking the target range down to 3.75%–4.00%.
- This meeting could be highly divisive, with 5 of the 12 FOMC voting members expressing skepticism or outright opposition to additional easing.
- Policymakers face a data blackout, as November’s employment report has been delayed until December 16 due to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
The absence of fresh data complicates the Fed’s ability to assess the state of the labor market, increasing uncertainty around the tone of its guidance.
Ahead of the Fed decision, the Bank of Canada is expected to leave rates unchanged at 2.25%, with economists now anticipating no move until at least 2027.
Corporate Movers: TUI Surges on Record 2025 Earnings
In Europe, corporate headlines drew selective investor interest:
- TUI soared after reporting record adjusted earnings for fiscal 2025, beating its upgraded August forecast and posting a 12.6% annual increase. The tourism group also announced its first dividend payout, boosting sentiment.
- Storebrand raised its 2028 group result target and lifted its return on equity goal to 17% from 14%.
- Husqvarna unveiled revised long-term financial goals and a major cost-reduction program ahead of its capital markets day.
Later today, attention will shift to the U.S. market as investors await Oracle’s quarterly results, with the software and cloud-computing giant seen as a key gauge of enterprise spending momentum.
