BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Investors are eagerly waiting for the speech by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. Commerce Department's report on new home sales in July is the important economic announcement for the day.
Asian shares finished higher, while European shares finished positive. As of 8.05 am ET, the Dow futures were losing 121 points, the S&P 500 futures were down 14.25 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were declining 53.00 points.
U.S. stocks closed lower on Thursday. The Dow still ended the day up 49.51 points or 0.2 percent at 26,252.24. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 edged down 1.48 points or 0.1 percent to 2,922.95 and the Nasdaq fell 28.82 points or 0.4 percent to 7,991.39.
On the economic front, U.S. Commerce and Housing and Urban Development's New Home Sales for July will be published at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for a decline of 645K, compared to 646K in the prior month.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will speak at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium: Challenges for Monetary Policy event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at 10.00 am ET.
Baker-Hughes Rig Count for the week will be published at 1.00 pm ET. In the prior week, the North American Rig Count was 1077 and U.S. rig count was 935.
Asian stocks ended Friday's session on a higher note. Chinese stocks edged higher. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index edged up 13.99 points, or 0.49 percent, to 2,897.43, and added 2.6 percent for the week to post its best weekly gain since late June. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose half a percent to 26,179.33 even as activists in Hong Kong prepared to lock hands across the city.
Japanese shares gained ground. The Nikkei average climbed 82.90 points or 0.40 percent to 20,710.91 while the broader Topix index closed 0.28 percent higher at 1,502.25.
Australian markets rose modestly. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index edged up 21.30 points or 0.33 percent to 6,523.10 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended up 0.32 percent at 6,614.30.
European shares are trading higher. Among the major indexes in the region, the CAC 40 Index of France is adding 25.99 points or 0.48 percent. The German DAX is gaining points or 1.56 percent, the U.K. FTSE 100 Index is gaining 57.40 points or 0.99 percent. The Swiss Market Index is up 36.09 points or 0.40 percent.
The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which is a compilation of 50 blue chip stocks across the euro area, is down 0.29 percent.
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