BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The government shutdown are delaying important indicators to be released this week. FHFA House Price Data and Redbook data are the major economic announcement on Wednesday.
Investors are keen to see the end of the partial shutdown. Initial signs from the U.S. Futures index point to a higher opening for Wall Street.
Asian shares closed mostly higher, while European shares are trading positive.
As of 8.00 am ET, the Dow futures were increasing 196.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were up 14.50 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were adding 40.00 points.
The major averages ended the day off their lows of the session but still firmly in negative territory. The Dow tumbled 301.87 points or 1.2 percent to 24,404.48, the Nasdaq plunged 136.87 points or 1.9 percent to 7,020.36 and the S&P 500 slumped 37.81 points or 1.4 percent to 2,632.90.
The Redbook data for the week will be published at 8.55 am ET. The prior week's Store Sales were up 6.7 percent.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency or FHFA House Price Index for November will be issued at 9.00 pm ET. The consensus is for an increase of 0.3 percent, unchanged from the prior month.
Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index for January will be revealed at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for minus 3, versus minus 8 last month.
In the corporate sector, Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble Co. reported a 28 percent increase in profit for the second quarter from last year. Both revenue and core earnings per share for the quarter beat analysts' estimates. Looking ahead, the company affirmed its outlook for fiscal 2019 earnings, but raised its forecast for full-year sales growth. Shares of the company are gaining almost 3 percent in pre-market activity.
For the second quarter, net earnings attributable to P&G rose to $3.19 billion or $$1.22 per share from $2.50 billion or $0.93 per share in the prior-year period. Core earnings per share for the quarter were $1.25, compared to $1.19 per share last year. Net sales rose slightly to $17.44 billion from $17.40 billion in the prior year.
Asian stocks ended on a muted note Wednesday. China's Shanghai Composite index ended little changed with a positive bias. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also finished marginally higher.
Japanese shares finished marginally lower. The Nikkei average dropped 29.19 points or 0.14 percent to 20,593.72 while the broader Topix index closed 0.60 percent lower at 1,547.03.
The Bank of Japan kept its monetary policy unchanged, while downgraded the inflation forecast for this year primarily driven by a sharp fall in oil prices.
Australian markets edged lower as global growth concerns pulled down material stocks. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 15.10 points or 0.26 percent to 5,843.70 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended down 15.60 points or 0.26 percent at 5,908.70.
European shares are trading mostly higher. Among the major indexes in the region, the CAC 40 Index of France is climbing 21.05 points or 0.43 percent, the German DAX is adding 27.39 points or 0.25 percent, the U.K. FTSE 100 Index is declining 17.31 points or 0.25 percent. The Swiss Market Index is gaining 35.99 points or 0.40 percent.
The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which is a compilation of 50 blue chip stocks across the euro area, is up 0.46 percent.
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