Stock Market Opens Higher As Fed Rate Hike Looms

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday as investors prepared for an expected interest-rate hike from the Federal Reserve in the afternoon. Higher oil prices, after days of declines, lifted energy shares. WTI futures for April delivery rose 1.6%. The S&P 500 rose 5 points, or 0.2%, at 2,370. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 10 points, or 0.2% to 5,866. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 35 points or 0.2%, to 20,874 at the open.