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Seagate Technology — Shares surged nearly 18% after strong guidance, with fourth-quarter revenue and earnings outlook topping expectations. The company also beat estimates on both revenue and profit in the third quarter.

Booking Holdings — The stock fell about 4.5% after trimming its full-year earnings growth forecast, citing lingering impacts from the Middle East conflict, despite a first-quarter beat.

Expedia Group — Shares slipped around 3% in sympathy with Booking’s decline.

Mondelez International — The Oreo maker gained 1.5% after reporting better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and revenue.Investor focus is shifting to Big Tech earnings, with four “Magnificent Seven” companies set to report after the bell: Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft.Analysts at JPMorgan said the results could act as a positive catalyst for markets, though current positioning suggests a rising likelihood of a near-term top and potential consolidation before the broader bull run resumes.The Fed’s decision — and more importantly, its forward guidance — has direct implications for global liquidity and capital flows.For markets like India, the outcome could influence foreign institutional investor (FII) activity, currency movement, and bond yields. A hawkish tilt typically dampens risk appetite and pressures emerging market equities, while a dovish signal tends to support inflows and sentiment.With the announcement coming after Indian market hours, the real impact will likely play out in Thursday’s session. But make no mistake — even a “no-change” decision tonight is unlikely to be a quiet one.This meeting also carries leadership significance. It is increasingly being seen as Powell’s final policy decision as Fed Chair, with his term expected to conclude around mid-May.Reports suggest that the US Senate could move to confirm Kevin Warsh as his successor around the same time, adding another layer of uncertainty to the policy outlook.While the rate decision itself may be a non-event, Powell’s commentary is expected to do the heavy lifting.Investors will closely track the tone of the policy statement and Powell’s remarks for clues on whether the Fed is inching towards a rate cut cycle later this year — or digging in for a prolonged higher-for-longer stance.Some experts believe the central bank could lean hawkish.“Expect the Fed to hold rates steady through mid-2026, with only a reluctant 25 basis point cut later in the year, driven more by political fatigue than economic conviction,” said Sachin Neema, Co-founder of Garud Investments.Nachiketa Sawrikar of Artha Bharat Global Multiplier Fund added that the upcoming decision could mark a shift in tone. “While inflation could justify a more aggressive stance, the Fed has stayed measured so far due to early-stage geopolitical risks. We expect a clearer hawkish signal, indicating rate cuts are unlikely in 2026 under current conditions,” he said.NewsLive TVMarketPopular CategoriesCalculatorsTrending NowLet's Connect with CNBCTV 18Network 18 Group :©TV18 Broadcast Limited. All rights reserved.