U.S. stock futures gained after reassuring comments from Federal Reserve Chairman
Jerome Powell
on inflation lifted the Nasdaq to a record close.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures strengthened 0.3%. Changes in futures don’t necessarily predict movements after the opening bell.
European stocks advanced Wednesday for a three-day run of gains. The Stoxx Europe 600 climbed 0.2% in morning trade as gains in materials and energy sectors were offset by losses in consumer staples and utilities sectors.
Anglo American
jumped 2.2% for a three-session winning streak.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 gained 0.2%. Other stock indexes in Europe wavered as France’s CAC 40 meandered after the flat line, the U.K.’s FTSE 250 added 0.1% and Germany’s DAX was broadly flat.
The Swiss franc fell 0.1% against the U.S. dollar, with 1 franc buying $1.09. The euro was mostly flat against the dollar, with 1 euro buying $1.19. The British pound was up 0.3% against the U.S. dollar, with 1 pound buying $1.40.
In commodities, Brent crude rose 0.8% to $74.64 a barrel. Gold also strengthened 0.2% to $1,780.40 a troy ounce.
German 10-year bund yields strengthened to minus 0.159% and U.K. 10-year gilts yields were up to 0.790%. 10-year U.S. Treasury yields strengthened to 1.484% from 1.471%. Bond yields and prices move inversely.
In Asia, indexes were mixed as Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.5% and China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite gained 0.2%, whereas Japan’s Nikkei 225 index was largely flat.
Stock futures gained after Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony.
Photo:
Nicole Pereira/Associated Press
—An artificial-intelligence tool was used in creating this article.
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