Wall Street opens higher ahead of expected rate hike

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday ahead of a widely expected Federal Reserve interest rate hike, with investors focusing on the central bank's steer on the pace of monetary tightening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 44.65 points, or 0.17 percent, at the open to 26,536.86. The S&P 500 opened higher by 1.42 points, or 0.05 percent, at 2,916.98. The Nasdaq Composite gained 4.21 points, or 0.05 percent, to 8,011.68 at the opening bell.

(Reporting by Amy Caren Daniel in Bengaluru)