President Trump has said China tariffs could remain in place for a "substantial period of time"
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are pointed sharply lower this morning, after Wednesday's Fed announcement sparked concern over a slowing global economy. U.S.-China trade uncertainty is also keeping markets on edge, after President Donald Trump said yesterday tariffs on Chinese goods could remain in place for a "substantial period of time." Elsewhere, oil prices are booming, with April-dated crude futures up 1.9% at $60.12 per barrel.
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Jobless claims, the Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey, and the Fed balance sheet make up the economic calendar today. Earnings releases out of Nike (NKE) and Canadian Solar (CSIQ) are also due.
Wednesday's Fed decision out of the U.S. helped prop up Chinese stocks over night. By the close, the Shanghai Composite was sporting a 0.4% lead. Hong Kong's Hang Seng, however, settled down 0.9% due to a slump in tech shares. South Korea's Kospi closed up 0.4%, while Japan's Nikkei was closed for holiday.
Outside of central bank news from the U.S., traders in Europe today are considering the Bank of England's (BoE) decision to stand pat on rates, as well. Against this backdrop, and amid the ongoing Brexit drama, stocks were last seen mixed. The FTSE 100 in London is up 0.4%, with retail sales for the U.K. coming in above expectations for February. However, the French CAC 40 is down 0.4%, and Germany's DAX is off 0.8%, as financial giants Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank sink due to questions surrounding a potential merger between the firms.