North American stocks are poised for a mixed start Wednesday ahead of an interest-rate decision from the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, some technology stocks may rise after better-than-forecast earnings from Oracle and Adobe Systems.

Today’s focus will be on the Fed, as investors await the release of the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest interest-rate decision, due at 14:15 ET. Most analysts expect the key fed funds rate to be held at 5.25%. Investors will be eager to learn whether the FOMC members are becoming more concerned about economic growth, which could open the door for rate cuts later this year.

In today’s Canadian economic news, retail sales fell back only slightly from the previous month’s high, despite a downturn in sales of automobiles and gasoline in January, especially in Ontario. Statistics Canada said total retail sales fell 0.2% in January to an estimated $33.4 billion, mainly due to the 2.4% sales decline in the automotive sector. Excluding the automotive sector, retail sales rose by 0.9%.

Separately, the government agency said the composite index rose 0.7% in February, topping its 0.5% gain at the start of the year. Growth was led by a pickup in new orders for manufactured goods and continued strong consumer spending and financial markets. Only 1 of the 10 components fell in both January and February.

The Canadian dollar opened at 86.04¢, down 0.12 of a cent.

On Tuesday, news that Canada’s annual inflation rate in February rose to a higher-than-expected 2% sent the Canadian dollar sharply higher. The loonie closed up 1.25 to US86.16 — its biggest one-day surge since June 2006.

After markets closed Tuesday, business software maker Oracle reported a better-than-forecast 35% jump in quarterly profit on a 27% sales increase.

Adobe reported a 37% profit rise, even as sales dropped more than predicted.

In this morning’s earnings news, Morgan Stanley said its fiscal first-quarter net income surged 70% to US$2.67 billion amid a US$109 million divestiture gain as the brokerage benefited from higher trading volumes.

FedEx reported a 1.9% drop in fiscal third-quarter profit as results were hurt by a slower U.S. economy, and the year-ago quarter was helped by a fuel-charge timing lag.

Crude-oil prices rose 40¢ to US$59.65 a barrel ahead of weekly oil inventory data.

Overseas, the Hang Seng closed 0.8% in Hong Kong, and. Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 rose 0.3% in London.

Toronto stocks lost ground Tuesday, dragged down by technology and mining issues.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed 34.33 points, or 0.26%, lower at 12,977.41.

All of the TSX 10 main groups were lower, following the benchmark index’s 182.06-point, 1.4%, rise on Monday.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index gained 2.70 points, or 0.09%, to finish at 3,078.44.

On Wall Street, U.S. stocks rose as takeover activity in the technology sector reassured investors about equity valuations and offset apprehension about a monetary policy meeting beginning at the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 61.93 points, or 0.51%, at 12,288.10. The S&P 500 gained 8.88 points, or 0.63%, to 1,410.94. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 13.80 points, or 0.58%, to 2,408.21.