Investing.com - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower open on Thursday, as investors looked ahead to a weekly government report on initial jobless claims later in the session, while continuing to monitor political wrangling in Washington.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.25%, S&P 500 futures signaled a decline of 0.3%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a drop of 0.2%.
Investors remained concerned over the impact of a protracted U.S. government shutdown on fourth quarter economic growth.
President Barack Obama met with Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, although a solution still seemed unlikely.
Markets were also mulling over how the political deadlock in Washington will impact on negotiations to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, which the U.S. Treasury Department has estimated will be reached by October 17.
Moody's Investors Service warned last month that a failure to raise the debt limit would result in a worse outcome for financial markets than a government shutdown.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release the weekly government report on initial jobless claims, while the ISM was to produce a report on non-manufacturing activity.
A partial shutdown of U.S. federal government operations was expected to delay Friday's highly-anticipated non-farm payrolls report for September.
Shares of Constellation Brands were expected to be active, with the world’s largest seed company due to report earnings before the opening bell.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed, with the EURO STOXX 50 falling 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 shedding 0.3%, Germany's DAX holding flat, while Britain's FTSE 100 inched up 0.3%.
Sentiment remained supported after Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta survived a vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday, after Silvio Berlusconi dropped his opposition to the coalition, in a surprise U-turn after announcing Saturday that he was pulling his ministers out of the government.
In addition, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi reiterating on Wednesday that bank rates would remain at current or lower levels for an “extended period of time”, given the subdued inflation outlook and low levels of growth in the region.
Draghi also reiterated that the ECB remains ready to extend a third round of ultra-cheap loans to banks, in order to safeguard the recovery.
Meanwhile, in the U.K., data showed that activity in the U.K. service sector slowed slightly in September, but remained close to August’s almost seven-year high.
The Markit U.K. services sector purchasing managers' index ticked down to 60.3 in September from 60.5 in August. Economists had forecast a reading of 60.0.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.9%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index ended 0.37% higher, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index closed down 0.09%.
In China, a government report released earlier showed that the nation’s non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index climbed to a six-month high of 55.4 in September from 53.9 in August.
The upbeat data eased concerns over China’s economic recovery, lifting most markets across the region.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.25%, S&P 500 futures signaled a decline of 0.3%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a drop of 0.2%.
Investors remained concerned over the impact of a protracted U.S. government shutdown on fourth quarter economic growth.
President Barack Obama met with Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, although a solution still seemed unlikely.
Markets were also mulling over how the political deadlock in Washington will impact on negotiations to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, which the U.S. Treasury Department has estimated will be reached by October 17.
Moody's Investors Service warned last month that a failure to raise the debt limit would result in a worse outcome for financial markets than a government shutdown.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release the weekly government report on initial jobless claims, while the ISM was to produce a report on non-manufacturing activity.
A partial shutdown of U.S. federal government operations was expected to delay Friday's highly-anticipated non-farm payrolls report for September.
Shares of Constellation Brands were expected to be active, with the world’s largest seed company due to report earnings before the opening bell.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed, with the EURO STOXX 50 falling 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 shedding 0.3%, Germany's DAX holding flat, while Britain's FTSE 100 inched up 0.3%.
Sentiment remained supported after Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta survived a vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday, after Silvio Berlusconi dropped his opposition to the coalition, in a surprise U-turn after announcing Saturday that he was pulling his ministers out of the government.
In addition, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi reiterating on Wednesday that bank rates would remain at current or lower levels for an “extended period of time”, given the subdued inflation outlook and low levels of growth in the region.
Draghi also reiterated that the ECB remains ready to extend a third round of ultra-cheap loans to banks, in order to safeguard the recovery.
Meanwhile, in the U.K., data showed that activity in the U.K. service sector slowed slightly in September, but remained close to August’s almost seven-year high.
The Markit U.K. services sector purchasing managers' index ticked down to 60.3 in September from 60.5 in August. Economists had forecast a reading of 60.0.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.9%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index ended 0.37% higher, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index closed down 0.09%.
In China, a government report released earlier showed that the nation’s non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index climbed to a six-month high of 55.4 in September from 53.9 in August.
The upbeat data eased concerns over China’s economic recovery, lifting most markets across the region.