BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The markets are set to close early on the Christmas eve and the trading activity is relatively light.
Asian shares finished mixed, while European shares are trading broadly up.
Initial signs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open moderately up.
As of 7.40 am ET, the Dow futures were adding 28.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were up 2.75 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were progressing 6.50 points.
The U.S. major averages ended Monday in positive territory but off their highs of the session. The Dow climbed 96.44 points or 0.3 percent to 28,551.53, the Nasdaq rose 20.69 points or 0.2 percent to 8,945.65 and the S&P 500 inched up 2.79 points or 0.1 percent to 3,224.01.
On the economic front, Redbook data for the week, a measure of comparable store sales at chain stores, discounters, and department stores, will be issued at 8.55 am ET. In the prior week, the store sales were up 4.6 percent.
Five-year Treasury Note auction will be held at 10.00 am ET.
The Richmond Fed manufacturing index for December will be released at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for plus 1, while that was minus 1 in the prior month.
Asian stocks ended mixed on Tuesday in Christmas Eve trading. Chinese shares closed higher. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.67 percent to 2,982.68 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged down 0.15 percent to 27,864.21.
Australia and New Zealand markets closed early today and will remain shut for the next two days for Christmas and Boxing Day.
Japanese shares finished little changed in thin trade. The Nikkei average ended up 9.47 points at 23,830.58, while the broader Topix index closed with a negative bias at 1,728.22.
Australian markets edged up slightly. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 inched up 0.13 percent to 6,794.20 while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 0.17 percent to finish at 6,906.40.
European shares are trading mostly higher. Among the major indexes in the region, the CAC 40 Index of France is adding 2.02 points or 0.03 percent. The German DAX is losing 17.92 points or 0.13 percent, the U.K. FTSE 100 Index is progressing 9.50 points or 0.12 percent. The Swiss Market Index is climbing 44.97 points or 0.42 percent.
The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which is a compilation of 50 blue chip stocks across the euro area, is down 0.69 percent.
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