04:08 PM EDT, 03/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity markets ended higher Monday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's latest monetary policy decision this week.

* The National Association of Home Builders' monthly housing market index increased for the fourth straight month to a reading of 51 in March from 48 in February. The consensus was for an unchanged 48 print in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

* April West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed up $1.97 to $83.01 per barrel, while May Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $1.76 to $87.10 on lower crude exports from Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

* Apple ( AAPL ) is in talks to build Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone, Bloomberg News reported.

* The Federal Aviation Administration ordered Boeing ( BA ) to upgrade five jet lines from its 777 series prompted by concerns about wing anti-ice and autothrottle technologies. Shares of Boeing ( BA ) fell 1.6%.

* Walt Disney ( DIS ) shares were up 1.7% after Glass Lewis recommended shareholders vote for all of the company's 12 director nominees at the annual meeting on April 3.