European shares edged higher on Wednesday, mirroring gains on Wall Street and in Asia, with investors awaiting the outcome of a crucial rate-setting meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve for hints about the market's near-term direction, Reuters reported. The pan-European FTSEurofirst index was up 0.18 percent at 1,413.49 points by 0806 GMT, after climbing 2.9 percent in the previous session following a rebound in crude oil prices. The Fed is widely expected to announce a rate hike after the end of its two-day policy meeting. It would be the first U.S. rate hike in nearly a decade, signalling the beginning of an end to an expansionary monetary policy that has supplied a tidal wave of liquidity to risk asset markets globally. -- SPA 12:15 LOCAL TIME 09:15 GMT تغريد
