Investors brace for a hawkish hold and tech on tap

This is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.Hello, this is Leonie Kidd with today's edition of Morning Squawk. Investors will assess two major market forces today: the Fed decision and another round of tech earnings. Inflation is the common denominator, with policymakers citing the AI-driven demand boom as pushing up prices alongside energy.For now, futures are holding steady, while Fed officials are expected to also hold steady on rates. Happening now: Futures in holding modeIt looks set to be a cautious open to trading today as investors stay on the sidelines ahead of a series of big market moments this afternoon.The Federal Reserve will announce its decision at 2pm ET, with policymakers all but certain to keep rates unchanged.Expert view: CNBC's Steve Liesman will be following closely how Chairman Kevin Warsh faces a dilemma that pits his "regime change" monetary policy principles against his job to manage the committee.The analyst view: "It ought to be possible for Warsh – who is alert to market risks even though he professes not to like mollycoddling investors – to show a calming steady hand," said Krishna Guha from Evercor...