LIVE MARKETS-US stocks green at the top of Fed week

Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com

U.S. STOCKS GREEN AT THE TOP OF FED WEEK

Wall Street is rebounding on Monday with oil prices pulling back as investors returned from a weekend fraught with political assassinations, widespread protests, a military parade and an escalating war between Israel and Iran.

But don't worry, be happy.

All three major U.S. stock indexes are decisively higher shortly after the opening bell, with chips .SOX giving the Nasdaq .IXIC the edge, and tech .SPLRCT leading the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500 .SPX.

It's a refreshing turnaround from Friday's selloff, in which the three indexes suffered their largest one-day percentage declines since May 21, as market participants absorbed Israel's bombing of Iranian nuclear targets and a looming weekend of protests and parades.

The CBOE Market Volatility index .VIX, often called the "fear index" is simmering down after closing at a three-week high on Friday.

This week, the U.S. Federal Reserve is the headliner. The central bank is due to convene tomorrow for its two-day monetary policy meeting, which is expected to culminate in a decision to leave interest rates where they are.

But the language of the accompanying statement, and an update to the Fed's Summary of Economic Projections will be scrutinized by investors.

Fed policymakers have been singing from the same songbook of late: the economy is sturdy, which gives them some elbow room to see how President Donald Trump's erratic trade/tariff policies affect inflation.

In economics, the NY Fed's Empire State was weaker than expected. Later this week, retail sales, industrial production, homebuilder sentiment, housing starts and building permits round out the first-string roster of indicators.

Here's where things stood as of 0950 EDT:

(Stephen Culp)

*****

EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

S&P 500 INDEX LOOKING TO GET BACK ON TRACK CLICK HERE

THE CASE FOR EUROPE: UBS FINDS 'MOSTLY SCEPTICISM' CLICK HERE

DOMESTICS TO KEEP OUTSHINING EXPORTERS - JPM CLICK HERE

EUROPE'S STOCKS RESILIENT CLICK HERE

BEFORE THE BELL: EUROPEAN FUTURES STEADY, EYES ON KERING CLICK HERE

MARKETS IN WAIT-AND-SEE MODE ON MIDEAST CLICK HERE