|
Investors will peruse the Fed minutes, which
will be released at 2:00 p.m. (1800 GMT), for clues on how soon
the central bank plans to hike interest rates. At a two-day
meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee in July, the Fed
had trimmed its monthly bond-buying program by an additional $10
billion.
An annual meeting of top central bankers in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming, from Thursday through Saturday will also be eyed for
possible insight into the path for U.S. monetary policy.
The benchmark S&P 500 closed Tuesday within 10 points of its
all-time intraday high of 1,991.39 reached on July 24, while the
Nasdaq Composite extended gains and ended the session at yet
another 14-year high.
Lowe's Companies <LOW.N> lost 3.1 percent to $49.91 before the
opening bell after the world's No. 2 home improvement products
retailer posted better-than-expected second quarter results but
cut its full-year sales forecast.
S&P 500 e-mini futures <ESc1> were down 0.25 point and fair
value - a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account
interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract
- indicated a flat open. Dow Jones industrial average e-mini
futures <1YMc1> lost 1 point and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures
<NQc1> added 1.25 points.
Hertz Global Holdings <HTZ.N> tumbled 14.5 percent to $27 in
premarket trading after the rental car company withdrew its
full-year financial forecast and said it expects 2014 results to
be "well below" its previous guidance due to business challenges
and costs.
Amicus Therapeutics <FOLD.O> shares surged 24 percent to $5.67
in premarket trading after the company said its experimental
drug was as effective as enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs) for
patients with Fabry disease, a disorder that leads to the
abnormal build-up of fat.
European shares dipped after a sharp two-day rally, with
investors rattled after Carlsberg <CARLb.CO> issued a profit
warning, blaming deteriorating conditions in Russia.
Asian stocks were steady after strong U.S. housing data lifted
Wall Street shares.
(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
