U.S. stock index futures sag as world stocks sink

* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a sharply lower open on Wall Street on Tuesday as mounting economic worries hit equities worldwide, with futures for the S&P 500 SPc1 down 0.8 percent, Dow Jones DJc1 futures down 0.7 percent and Nasdaq 100 NDc1 futures down 0.9 percent at 0900 GMT.

* European stocks tumbled to a 5-week low in morning trade, with construction and cement shares taking a beating after Irish building supplies major CRH (CRH.I) warned core earnings would fall 10 percent this year, signalling rising worries over the health of the U.S. economy. [ID:nLDE67M1L7]

* Shares were also hammered in Tokyo, where the Nikkei average hit a 15-month closing low below 9,000 points, with hedge funds and foreigners seen selling amid mounting concern about the authorities' inaction over the strong yen, which threatens a fragile economic recovery. [.T]

* Oil futures CLc1 dropped 1 percent to a 7-week low around $72 a barrel, as the U.S. driving season draws to a close with large stockpiles of gasoline remaining. [O/R]

* At least seven of the 17 top Federal Reserve officials at the U.S. central bank's August meeting had reservations about the decision to buy more Treasuries, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. [ID:nN23224642]

* Media stocks will be eyed after WPP (WPP.L), the world's largest ad firm by sales, lifted its outlook for the year after posting a 3.1 percent rise in key organic revenue for the first seven months on strong growth in the United States and traditional media, but the firm cautioned that comparatives would get tougher in the second half. [ID:nLDE67M13O]

* Nokia (NOK1V.HE) and chipmaker Intel (INTC.O) said on Tuesday their joint software venture, seen as crucial in helping Nokia improve its position at the top end of the handset market, had got off to a solid start.

* Economic data expected for Tuesday includes existing home sales for July. Wall Street is expecting sales of 4.7 million, according to Thomson reuters data. On the earnings front, companies expected to report earnings on Tuesday include Medtronic Inc (MDT.N) and Big Lots Inc (BIG.N).

* U.S. stocks slipped in one of the lightest volume sessions of the year on Monday, with tech shares weighing on the broad market as a possible bidding war over data storage company 3PAR (PAR.N) between Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) and Dell Inc (DELL.O) sent shares of HP down 2 percent.

* The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI slipped 39.21 points, or 0.38 percent, to 10,174.41. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX lost 4.33 points, or 0.40 percent, to 1,067.36. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC fell 20.13 points, or 0.92 percent, to 2,159.63. (Reporting by Blaise Robinson; editing by Simon Jessop)