FED Meeting Live | Dow Jones | US Stock Market Live: US Fed likely to hold rates steady; markets trade lower ahead of Big Tech earnings

FED Meeting Live | Dow Jones | US Stock Market Live: U.S. stocks traded lower on Tuesday, with all three major indices slipping as investors tread cautiously. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led losses, falling 150.83 points, or 0.31%, to 48,991.10, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 26.90 points, or 0.11%, to 24,636.90. The S&P 500 was marginally lower, shedding 3.54 points, or 0.05%, to 7,135.26, just below its previous close of 7,138.80.

Asian Market Overlook
Asian markets traded mixed as Japan remained closed for a holiday. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.8% to 6,690.90, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.7% to 26,111.84, and China’s Shanghai Composite advanced 0.7% to 4,107.51. Taiwan’s Taiex slipped 0.6%, while India’s Sensex climbed 0.9%.

Fed Meeting Date, Time and Where to Watch
The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision on April 29, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET (11:30 PM IST), followed by a press conference with Chair Jerome Powell at 2:30 PM ET (midnight IST), both of which will be streamed live on the Fed’s official channels, including its website and YouTube platform.

Fed Meeting Objectives and Expectations
Investors will closely watch the Federal Reserve meeting, with Chair Jerome Powell set to deliver what is expected to be his final press conference at the helm of the central bank. While markets widely anticipate no change in interest rates, focus will be on Powell’s commentary for clues on the policy outlook, especially amid persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Traders remain cautious that Powell could strike a hawkish tone, even as political developments around his successor and concerns over Fed independence add another layer of uncertainty.