Dow Jones Today Will Be Watching FOMC Meeting Closely By Garrett Baldwin

Dow Jones Today, September 17, 2014: The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose Tuesday after investors took a hard look at language used by the U.S. Federal Reserve and expected the central bank to be less hawkish on interest rates in the near term.

Yesterday, the Federal Open Market Committee kicked off a two-day meeting, where the central bank will be under intensive scrutiny from investors to determine what action Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen and her team will take on interest rates in the next nine months.

The trading session saw strong its strongest gains in the energy sector, fueled by rising oil prices. Brent crude, priced in London, increased 1.4%, while U.S. crude futures in New York were up 2%. Brazilian energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (NYSE ADR: PBR) saw shares leap 5.8% on the day.

Here's what else you should know to make your Wednesday profitable:

• The Big News: This afternoon, investors will keep their eyes on the FOMC Statement, expected to be released at 2 p.m. EDT. Following the announcement, Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen will speak. Investors will be paying especially close attention to the wording in both statements, as the markets attempt to determine when the central bank might raise interest rates.

• The Big Beat: Shares of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) were up more than 3% in premarket hours after the company reported strong quarterly earnings this morning. The world's second largest shipping firm reported a 24% increase in quarterly profits, with higher volumes in its express and ground businesses. The news steals some thunder from its principal rival, United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS), which announced yesterday that it plans to hire 95,000 seasonal workers this Holiday season in order to meet rising demand and ensure it is prepared for bad weather should snow and ice arrive with regularity this winter.

• Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Is one of the nation's top chemical companies about to break up? Yes, if activist investor Trian Fund Management has anything to say about it. According to reports, the fund is now publicly pushing for E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DuPont) (NYSE: DD) to split up after the chemical giant's board refused to listen to calls for changes to its board. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trian owns a $1.6 billion stake in DuPont and has pushed for the breakup for some time.

• Print: The Wall Street Journal reports that the sluggish growth in China (it's still above 7%) is going to require a massive stimulus package to continue to create the illusion of exponential growth. The paper reports that the People's Bank of China will unleash 500 billion yuan through a package of low interest loans to banks across the nation. China's central bank joins the European Central Bank (ECB) in plans to push new stimulus packages as global growth slows.

• Income Play: Tech giant Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) announced plans to increase its dividend by 11% this year. In addition, the company has announced the appointment of two new board members, bringing its board total to 12. The company has increased its dividend on several occasions in the last two years. After today's announcement, the company's quarterly dividend will increase from $0.31 from $0.28. Shares were down marginally this morning.

• Earnings Reports: Stay tuned for earnings reports from FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS), Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN), Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL)

• Today's Economic Calendar: Today's schedule features the Housing Market Index, an update after the Fed Open Market Committee, a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, the EIA Petroleum Status Report, and an update to the Consumer Price Index.

Full U.S. Economic Calendar September 17, 2014

• MBA Purchase Applications at 7 a.m.
• Consumer Price Index at 8:30 a.m.
• Current Account at 8:30 a.m.
• Housing Market Index at 10 a.m.
• EIA Petroleum Status Report at 10:30 a.m.
• FOMC Meeting Announcement at 2 p.m.
• FOMC Forecasts at 2 p.m.
• Chair Press Conference at 2:30 p.m.

Now: You might hear the media tout big name tech companies like Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) and Twitter Inc. (NYSE: TWTR), but don't buy into that hype. Often these companies capture the imagination of investors and feed into an "irrational exuberance" that helps overvalue these companies' stocks. Here's how to ignore the media's perceived values of exciting companies and find the true winners...