European Shares Hold Steady Ahead Of Fed Decision

(RTTNews) - European stocks held steady on Wednesday as the recent rally in crude oil prices paused, and bond yields eased from recent highs ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision later in the day. The British pound weakened against other major currencies after official data showed that the U.K. consumer price inflation rose to a five-month high in August, largely due to higher motor fuel prices. Inflation advanced to 3.1 percent from 2.9 percent in July, matching expectations. Core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco remained unchanged at 2.6 percent in August. The pan-European STOXX 600 edged up 0.3 percent to 635.82 after falling 0.3 percent on Tuesday.