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U.S. stock index futures point to flat open

Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:35am EDT

Stocks

   

* Futures pointed to a flat open for U.S. shares on Wednesday, following the losses of the previous session.

* At 0917 GMT, futures for the Dow Jones DJc2 were down 0.1 percent, those for the S&P 500 SPc2 were flat and those for the Nasdaq NDc1 were up 0.2 percent.

* The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 1.3 percent at 851.54 points, falling for the fourth day, with energy and mining stocks among the losers.

* Surging gasoline prices probably pushed U.S. consumer prices up in May, but excluding food and fuel, costs were better contained. The median forecast of a Reuters poll of 68 economists predicts a 0.3 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index in May after being flat in April.

* Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), CVC Capital Partners and TPG [TPG.UL] are interested in buying part of Anheuser-Busch InBev NV's (ABI.BR) operations in Central and Eastern Europe in a deal that could be worth more than $2.5 billion, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. [ID:nBNG469191]

* The Obama administration is set to unveil its regulatory reform package, its "new rules of the road for the financial industry".

* Economic bellwether Fedex (FDX.N) is expected to report earnings of 51 cents a share for its fiscal fourth quarter, down from $1.45 a year ago.

* U.S. stocks slipped on Tuesday as mixed economic data and Best Buy's (BBY.N) disappointing sales spurred worries about a weak recovery. [ID:nN16302759]

* Shares of software maker Adobe Systems Inc (ADBE.O) declined 2.4 percent after the closing bell on Tuesday after the company reported quarterly results, including lower net income and revenue. They were down 5.7 percent in Frankfurt on Wednesday. For details, see [ID:nWNAB0311]

* Shares of Reynolds American Inc (RAI.N) gained 3.2 percent after the closing bell on Tuesday after court records showed a verdict has been rendered in its favour in a patent dispute with Star Scientific Inc STSI.O, a technology-oriented tobacco company. For details, see [ID:nWEN0626] (Reporting by Brian Gorman; Editing by Rupert Winchester)



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