(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei +135.18 19445.70 +0.70%

TOPIX +10.53 1550.30 +0.68%

Hang Seng +81.00 24696.13 +0.33%

CSI 300 -13.17 3426.58 -0.38%

Euro Stoxx 50 +18.62 3578.21 +0.52%

FTSE 100 +46.11 7250.05 +0.64%

DAX +69.89 12507.90 +0.56%

CAC 40 +36.82 5304.15 +0.70%

DJIA +36.43 20949.89 +0.17%

S&P 500 +2.84 2391.17 +0.12%

NASDAQ +3.77 6095.37 +0.06%

S&P/TSX +44.02 15619.65 +0.28%

Major US stock indexes finished trading with a weak increase, as significant losses of the conglomerate sector were offset by the growth of other sectors. Investors also were in anticipation of the Fed meeting and analyzed ambiguous corporate reports.

Market participants predict that the Fed will leave interest rates unchanged, and retain the wording of previous statements about a "gradual rate hike," despite a sharp slowdown in the economy. According to the futures market, now the probability of an increase in the rate of the Fed at the meeting in May is 4.8%.

Meanwhile, given that more than two thirds of S & P500 companies have already submitted quarterly results, firms are likely to report the largest increase in earnings per share since the first quarter of 2011. However, some investors consider the shares in the US expensive compared to historical average estimates, and do not rule out a rollback.

Quotes of oil significantly decreased, as positive news about the decline in oil production by Russia and the major exporters of OPEC were offset by signs of increased oil production in the US, Canada and Libya. The National Oil Company of Libya said yesterday that oil production in the country rose above 760,000 barrels per day, reaching the highest level since December 2014. In addition, the company added that they plan to continue to increase oil production.

Most components of the DOW index recorded a rise (19 out of 30). The leader of growth was shares of Intel Corporation (INTC, + 1.94%). More shares fell The Procter & Gamble Company (PG, -1.06%).

Most sectors of the S & P index finished trading in positive territory. The leader of growth was the healthcare sector (+ 0.3%). The conglomerate sector fell most of all (-1.5%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.17% 20,949.28 +35.82

Nasdaq + 0.06% 6,095.37 +3.77

S & P + 0.12% 2.391.11 + 2.78

U.S. stock-index futures were flat ahead of the start of the Fed's two-day meeting and Apple's (AAPL) quarterly report.

Stocks:

Nikkei 19,445.70 +135.18 +0.70%

Hang Seng 24,696.13 +81.00 +0.33%

Shanghai 3,143.71 -10.95 -0.35%

FTSE 7,251.14 +47.20 +0.66%

CAC5,293.05 +25.72 +0.49%

DAX 12,469.53 +31.52 +0.25%

Crude $49.05 (+0.43%)

Gold $1,253.70 (-0.14%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

MasterCard (MA) reported Q1 FY 2017 earnings of $1.00 per share (versus $0.86 in Q1 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $0.95.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $2.734 bln (+11.8% y/y), missing analysts' consensus estimate of $2.654 bln.

MA rose to $118.56 (+1.88%) in pre-market trading.

Pfizer (PFE) reported Q1 FY 2017 earnings of $0.69 per share (versus $0.67 in Q1 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $0.67.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $12.779 bln (-1.7% y/y), missing analysts' consensus estimate of $13.089 bln.

PFE fell to $33.50 (-0.83%) in pre-market trading.

Merck (MRK) reported Q1 FY 2017 earnings of $0.88 per share (versus $0.89 in Q1 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $0.83.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $9.434 bln (+1.3% y/y), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $9.254 bln.

MRK rose to $62.61 (+0.37%) in pre-market trading.

Altria (MO) reported Q1 FY 2017 earnings of $0.73 per share (versus $0.72 in Q1 FY 2016), missing analysts' consensus estimate of $0.74.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $4.589 bln (+1.3% y/y), generally in-line with analysts' consensus estimate of $4.631 bln.

MO fell to $68.50 (-3.25%) in pre-market trading.

The Nasdaq rallied on Monday to a new record on the back of strong gains in large-cap tech shares even as the broader market finished out the session mixed. Big gains in Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +2.51% Apple Inc. appl and Netflix Inc. NFLX, +2.07% underpinned the Nasdaq's rise in a day devoid of big earnings or economic data.

Asian equities broadly rose Tuesday, with strong earnings from technology companies in the U.S. overnight providing a shot in the arm to regional technology companies. Investors also sought to reposition themselves as many markets returned from the Labor Day holiday. In Japan, Tuesday is the last trading day of the week before holidays there.