Wall Street ends higher as FOMC starts policy meeting

US stock indices closed the second session of the week higher, led by the energy sector, as oil prices rose to three-week highs, while Facebook's stock deepened its losses after reports of federal investigations into the misuse of its users data. 

Now investors await the results of the FOMC's meeting tomorrow under new Chair Jerome Powell, as analysts expect policymakers to hike interest rates to between 1.50% and 1.75%, while unveiling their three-year forecasts for growth, inflation, unemployment, and interest rates. 

Dow Jones rose 0.47%, or 116.36 points to 24,727.27, while Standard and Poor's 500 added 0.15%, or 4.02 points, to 2,716.94. NASDAQ Composite climbed 0.27%, or 20.06 points to 7,364.30. 

Gold futures due on April 15 fell 0.56% to $1,310.40 an ounce from the opening of $1,317.80, while the dollar index jumped 0.73% to 90.42 from the opening of 89.76. 

US West Texas Intermediate futures due on April 15 rose 2.16% to $63.40 a barrel from the opening of $62.06, while Brent futures due on May 15 rallied 2.36% to $67.61 a barrel from the opening of $66.05.