Fed begins two-day meeting to decide on interest rate hike

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top officials at the Federal Reserve on Tuesday began a two-day policy meeting that is expected to end with the first U.S. interest rate increase since 2006.

The meeting began at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT), a Fed official said in an email. The Fed is due to issue a statement at the conclusion of the meeting on Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT).

(Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by James Dalgleish)