Indian shares end lower -----

BENGALURU, Sept 21 (Reuters): Indian shares ended lower after a choppy Wednesday session, as Russia's escalation of the conflict in Ukraine further soured sentiment of investors already bracing for a super-sized interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve. The NSE Nifty 50 index ended 0.55 per cent lower at 17,718.35, while the S&P BSE Sensex slipped 0.44 per cent to 59,456.78.

Investors fled risky assets after Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation of Russia's military reserves and accused the West of "nuclear blackmail," building anxiety in investors who were already on the sidelines ahead of the Fed's decision expected later in the day.

Rate futures traders are pricing in an 81 per cent chance of a 75-basis-point (bp) hike and a 19 per cent probability of a jumbo 100 bps increase, as inflation stayed elevated.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that India's government was in no hurry to tamp down inflation - now hovering near 7 per cent at eight-year high - back to the central bank's 4 per cent medium-term target, for fear that aggressive rate hikes could hurt economic growth.

India's central bank is due to meet next week to decide on monetary policy.