Stocks stable after Fed minutes reveal "patient" approach to interest rates

US Stocks traded in a tight area Wednesday after the Federal Reserve released the minutes of its last meeting, confirming that the US Federal Reserve's intention is to keep interest rates stable, at least for the time being.

Fed officials largely endorsed a "patient" approach to monetary policy in 2019 during its two-day meeting in March, but suggested that if the economy were to grow, more interest rate hikes could be on the horizon.

At the same meeting, decision makers at the US central bank unanimously voted to keep the reference federal funds stably in a target range of 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent. The Fed has also signaled that there will be no extra trips for the rest of 201[ads1]9 due to concerns about slowing global growth – a result of a more than annual war between the US and China and Brexit uncertainty.

The return on the 10-year government bond meeting fell below 2.5 percent to its lowest level since April 1.

Airlines rose. Delta reported stronger than expected earnings and revenues in the first quarter.

"The demand for Delta's product has never been stronger," President Hauenstein said in a statement.