The DAX Futures is trading at 12,505.00 up with +0.10% percent or  +13.00 point . The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at  7,508.50 up with +0.23% percent or  +17.50 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,333.69 up  with +0.33% percent or  +17.68 point . The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures is trading at 3,404.00 up with +0.32% percent or +11.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The U.S-China trade war has been dominating the headlines, overshadowing escalating trade tensions between the U.S and the European Union. President Trump recently slapped import tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, triggering retaliatory tariffs from Brussels. The eurozone economy is performing relatively well, so much so that the ECB has announced it is winding up its asset-purchase program at the end of the year. The eurozone can ill-afford a trade war with the United States, which would hurt exports, particularly from Germany. Investors are increasingly nervous about the trade war rhetoric, which is weighing on global equity markets. The DAX index has declined 2.6% this week and is at its lowest level since May 31.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 24,461.70 with  a loss of -0.80% percent or -196.10 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,749.76 with a loss of  -0.63% percent or  -17.56 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,712.95  with a loss of -0.88% percent or -68.56 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 22,516.83  with a loss of  -0.78% percent or -176.21 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 29,357.77 up with +0.21% percent or +61.72 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,889.76 up with +0.49% percent or  +13.95  point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 35,507.72 up with +0.21% percent or  +75.33 point at 12:15 PM.