European Shares Hold Ahead of Bernanke Speech

Fed Chairman is to give a speech to other central bankers in Wyoming later this week

(Reuters)—Shares and the euro traded in tight ranges on Wednesday with investors reluctant to take positions ahead of a speech by the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman and before seeing the European Central Bank's plan to tackle the region's debt crisis.

However, oil prices eased after Hurricane Isaac hit land in the U.S. Gulf state of Louisiana overnight and looked set to spare local production facilities from significant damage.