Australian shares rise on energy boost, Fed decision in focus

By Reuters News

Sept 16 (Reuters) - Australian shares inched higher on Wednesday, driven by energy stocks on firm oil prices, while market participants watched developments in the Middle East and awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.3% to 8,699 by 0003 GMT after a 0.9% fall on Tuesday.

Crude oil futures were down due to an unexpected build in U.S. crude inventories. Prices hit their highest since May 19 on Tuesday as a slew of events in the Middle East deepened concerns that disruptions to a critical oil-export route could persist for weeks. O/R

Investors weighed the risk that higher oil prices could lift inflation further and keep pressure on central banks to raise interest rates.

The Fed is widely anticipated to deliver a 25-basis-point rate hike when it announces its policy decision later in the day, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool, compared with a 59.4% chance a week earlier.

Australian 10-year bond yields eased, but held near 2011-highs.

Energy stocks .AXEJ advanced as much as 2% and were on track for their best day since mid-August. Santos STO.AX and Woodside WDS.AX were up 2.2% and 2.6%, respectively.

Healthcare stocks .AXHJ were up 0.8%, with CSL CSL.AX hitting its highest in nearly two weeks.

Banks .AXFJ strengthened as much as 0.7% after a 1.1% fall in the previous session. The "Big Four" banks rose between 0.5% and 1.2%.

Gold miners .AXGD declined as much as 1.3% to their lowest in nearly a month as bullion prices slipped on interest rate-hike concerns. GOL/

Weak iron ore and copper prices weighed on mining stocks. The sectoral index .AXMM hit its lowest since early August.

Among individual stocks, plumbing supplies firm Reliance Worldwide RWC.AX rose 7.4% to a more than one-year high after agreeing to a roughly $2.9 billion buyout offer from global investment firm Brookfield BN.TO.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 climbed 0.6% to 13,562.85 and was on track for its best day in two weeks.

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