(Updates with morning prices)

By Nikhil Sharma

March 19 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose

about 1% on Wednesday, mirroring the positive sentiment on Wall

Street as investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest

rate verdict due later in the day.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index

was up 0.96% at 24,925.55 points. The Wall Street's

tech-heavy Nasdaq index gained 0.9%.

Canada's information technology sector was the

biggest gainer among sectors on Wednesday, adding 2%, boosted by

a 7% jump in index heavyweight Shopify ( SHOP ).

The energy index rose 1.4%, extending its gains to

a fourth straight session even as oil prices were flat.

Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ) rose

3.4% after reporting third-quarter results, lifting the consumer

staples index by 1.6%.

The Fed is widely expected to keep rates steady at

4.25%-4.50% range. Traders see only two further cuts by the

central bank later in the year.

Besides the Fed's rate verdict, the spotlight will be on

policymakers' economic growth projections amid the US' trade war

with key partners such as Canada, China and Europe.

"I don't have a lot of hope that the Fed's going to provide

any comfort or clarity for the markets," said Matt Skipp,

co-owner of Flags Unlimited.

"It's impossible to come up with policy based off of the

current political and economic environment."

The TSX is largely flat for the year, erasing initial gains

in the run-up to Trump's inauguration in January.

The pressure on Canadian equities reflects markets globally

as investors try to price in risks of recession due to U.S.

President Donald Trump's tariffs and the resulting trade war.

The Bank of Canada, at its policy meeting last week, had

warned that the domestic economy could be hit by trade

uncertainties.