US markets are poised to continue the lower run as futures point to a lower open on Wall Street as investors mull macro fears and look to jobless data later this morning.
Some disappointing earnings, including from department store giant Macy's (NYSE:M), sent stocks lower on Wednesday and the benchmark Dow finished 56 points lower at 17,707; the S&P 500 closed seven down at 2,075, while the tech heavy Nasdaq lost 16, at 5,067.
The excitement of China's Singles Day did little to stem the trajectory.
Today, futures trading puts the Dow Jones 28 points lower, the Nasdaq off 3.5 and the S&P down a tad - around one point.
As well as the much documented question of a possible US rate rise next month, traders are also considering the European situation, where it is less a case of monetary tightening than possible easing.
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has opened the door to more quantitative easing next month in comments to the European Parliament.
He said: "If we were to conclude our medium-term price stability objective is at risk, we would act by using all the instruments available within our mandate to ensure an appropriate degree of monetary accommodation is maintained." The euro fell to a session-low after the comments.
Joshua Mahony, at IG Index, said earlier: "The ability to talk down the euro has been one of the resounding features of Mario Draghi’s presidency at the European Central Bank and he has struck again this morning, citing the potential for an extension to the Quantitative Easing programme past September 2016.
"This was in fact no different from ECB member Benoit Coeur who declared that ‘the decision isn’t taken’ ahead of December’s meeting. Yet Mr Draghi knows how to push the buttons to keep the euro on its downward trajectory, raising eurozone competitiveness and increasing import-driven inflation."
In corporate news in the US today, investors will be looking to the results from Kohl's (NYSE: KSS), Dillard's (NYSE: DDS) and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) in the light of Macy's third quarter numbers yesterday. Manchester United (NYSE:MANU) also reports before the bell..
The latest weekly US unemployment data is also being published this morning, which may send further ripples through markets..
The FTSE100 in London is down 40 points at the time of writing, while other major European indices are also down.