WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Coronavirus cases increased globally to more than 215,000, and fear about the pandemic is hitting the markets like anything. Most of countries are expecting multiple bouts of infection. Supplies are finishing fast in several markets. U.S. is reportedly gearing up for an 18 month fight against the deadly disease as more than 9000 people are infected and 149 are dead.
jobless claims, Philadelphia manufacturing activity and leading economic indicators are scheduled for the day.
Asian shares finished in the red, while European shares are trading mostly lower.
Early signs from the U.S. Futures Index point to a lower open.
As of 8.10 am ET, the Dow futures were plummeting 493.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were down 60.00 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were losing 122.75 points.
The U.S. major averages climbed off their worst levels and ended Wednesday sharply lower. The Dow plunged 1,338.46 points or 6.3 percent to 19,898.92, the Nasdaq plummeted 344.94 points or 4.7 percent to 6,989.84 and the S&P 500 tumbled 131.09 points or 5.2 percent to 2,398.10.
On the economic front, the Labor Department's Jobless Claims for the week will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The economists are looking for consensus of 220K while it was 211K in the previous week.
Philadelphia Fed Business Outloos Survey for March will be released at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for 14.0, while it was up 36.7 in the previous month.
The Conference Board's Leading Indicators for February be published at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 0.1 percent, while it was up 0.8 percent in the prior month.
The Energy Information Administration or EIA's Natural Gas Report for the week will be published at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the change was decline of 48 bcf.
Two -year FRN Note auction will be held at 11.00 am ET. The 5-year and 7-year Treasury Note auction will be held at 11.00 pm ET.
The Fed Balance Sheet for the week is expected at 4.30 pm ET. In the previous week, the level was $4.312 trillion.
The Fed Money Supply for the week is scheduled at 4.30 pm ET. The M2 weekly change was $88.8 billion.
Asian stocks fell on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite index dropped nearly 1 percent to 2,702.13, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index tumbled 2.61 percent to 21,709.13.
Japanese shares hit a 3-1/2-year low. The Nikkei average gave up early gains to end the session down 1.04 percent at 16,552.83, its lowest close since November 2016.
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 lost 3.44 percent to finish at 4,782.90.
European shares are trading mostly lower. CAC 40 of France is losing 27.47 points or 0.65 percent. DAX of Germany is down 72.10 points or 0.87 percent. FTSE 100 of England is sliding 75.74 points or 1.48 percent. Swiss Market Index is up 77.38 points or 0.90 percent.
Euro Stoxx 50 that provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is down 0.61 percent.
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