US equity indexes were mixed ahead of Wednesday's close, as investors awaited big-tech quarterly results post-bell and bets for a monetary policy pause in March jumped following the January meeting.

Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2% to 23,868.1. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% to 6,977.2 after hitting a fresh record of 7,002.28 earlier in the session, according to data compiled by CNBC. The Dow Jones Industrial Average leaned slightly lower to 48,968.4. Energy and technology led the gainers.

ASML (ASML), a Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, reported a year-over-year jump in Q4 earnings and sales, and its outlook for the full-year 2026 revenue comfortably beat consensus.

Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), International Business Machines (IBM), and Tesla (TSLA) are scheduled to report quarterly earnings after the markets close.

The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the federal funds rate target at 3.5% to 3.75%, as expected. The FOMC upgraded its description of economic growth from a "moderate pace" to "expanding at a solid pace."

"Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization," the statement said. "Inflation remains somewhat elevated."

The odds of the January pause extending to March 18, when the rate setters next meet, jumped to 88% as of late Wednesday afternoon from 83% a day earlier, according to the CME Fedwatch tool.