The key Nikkei stock index rose slightly Wednesday in directionless trade, with support from some resource shares on record-high gold prices while investors await the U.S. Federal Reserve's comments on the U.S. economy after a two-day policy meeting.

Erasing early losses, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 41.36 points, or 0.42 percent, to 9,844.31 from Monday's three-week closing low. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 0.73 point, or 0.08 percent, to 881.27.

Decliners were led by securities, banking and metal product issues. Major gainers included the nonferrous metal, pulp and paper, and oil and coal product sectors.

The Japanese market saw few trading cues after closing Tuesday for a national holiday, although some buying helped sustain the Nikkei's recovery into positive territory in late afternoon trade as some investors felt stocks were oversold, brokers said. The benchmark index lost more than 5 percent over the week through Monday.

Resource-related stocks, such as nonferrous metal issues, advanced after gold futures surged to record highs Tuesday in New York. Strong runs in Hong Kong and other major Asian markets also helped buoy market sentiment, a Japanese brokerage strategist said.

"But on the whole, investors are finding it difficult to make aggressive moves as they want to first see Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's statement later today on the Federal Open Market Committee's assessment of the U.S. economic outlook, as well as upcoming U.S. jobs figures," said Hiroichi Nishi, Nikko Cordial Securities Inc. equity manager.

Market attention is also focused on policy meetings of the Bank of England and European Central Bank, respectively, over the next two days as investors watch for monetary policy changes, brokers said.