Wall Street is near a triple-digit gain at midday Tuesday as investors gird for the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision in the afternoon. "All of the cards have fallen nicely into alignment this morning," Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors, told Associated Press, pointing to Lehman Brothers Holding Inc.'s profit surprise, a benign producer price index, and a calming third-quarter outlook from Bank of America late Monday. But everything could turn when investors react to the Fed decision, he warns. Investors have "dug in their heels for 50 basis points or bust on the funds rate, and my personal view is they're probably going to be disappointed. The potential for a sloppy market reaction is certainly on the table," he adds. The Dow industrials are 96 points or 0.72 per cent to the good, with 24 of the 30 component stocks on the plus side, led by Alcoa Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. The broader S&P 500 index is also up 0.76 per cent. Canadian stocks came late to the rally south of the border but are now trending higher, with the TSX composite index up 29 points on strength in the financial and commodities sectors, excluding golds. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., EnCana Corp., Research In Motion Ltd. and Royal Bank of Canada are doing the most to lift the composite, while Barrick Gold Corp., Nortel Networks Ltd. and Telus Corp. are the main drags. In corporate news, Gildan Activewear Inc. is up $3.39 to $35.99 after buying U.S. sock maker V.I. Prewett & Son Inc. and boosting its annual profit forecast.