Morning Wire — US Stock-Index Futures Lower

US index futures are lower this morning as investors wait to hear what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) plans to do with its $97 billion cash hoard. Apple shares are rising in the pre-market as investors appear to expect the announcement of either an annual dividend or a one-time dividend (our coverage here). In Europe, markets are trading lower as financials and mining stocks turn down. In Asia, markets are mostly higher, except in Hong Kong, where profit-taking has weighed the equities market

At about 8:15 a.m. ET, Germany’s DAX is down -0.67% at 7,110.12 and France’s CAC 40 is down -0.69%, at 3,570.09. In London, the FTSE 100 is down -0.32%, at 5,946.46.

In Asia, the Hang Seng index closed down -0.95%, at 21,115.30 and the Nikkei index closed up 0.12%, at 10,142.00. The Shanghai exchange closed up 0.23%, at 2,410.18.

Dow futures are down -0.14%, at 13,145.00. The Nasdaq is up 0.21%, at 2,714.75 and the S&P is down -0.13%, at 1,396.70.

In the currency markets, the US dollar is slightly up against the euro and the Japanese yen, and down versus the British pound. The US dollar index is down -0.04% at 79.755.

In commodities, WTI and Brent crude are mixed this morning, with WTI up 0.30% at $107.38/barrel and Brent is down -0.32% at $125.41/barrel. Gold is down -0.14% this morning, at $1,653.50/ounce.

Paul Ausick