1. Global market overview

U.S. stock futures seem to be steadying after a string of highly volatile days. They're currently in positive territory, but the gains are small.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 1.4%, the S&P 500 shed 1.5% and the Nasdaq ended the day with a 1.1% loss.

Central banks and oil are being blamed for the recent market swings.

In Europe, stock markets are inching higher in early trading. Asian markets mostly ended the day with small losses.

2. Biggest takeover of the year?

Monsanto (MON) shares are up about 3% premarket based on reports that the U.S. seed giant is close to a deal to be taken over by Germany's Bayer (BAYRY).

Bayer said earlier this month it was ready to buy Monsanto via a cash offer worth $65 billion, including debt.

If the deal is done, it would create a huge conglomerate spanning pharmaceuticals, health products and pesticides and be the biggest M&A announcement of 2016 so far.

But Monsanto stock is still well below the earlier announced offer price of $127.50 per share, suggesting investors doubt the deal will get past regulators.

3. JPY to keep sliding?

The yen slipped across the board against major rivals on Wednesday on a report that the Bank of Japan was considering making negative interest rates the centerpiece of further policy easing.

The report suggested that the Japanese monetary authority was planning to focus more on interest rates, rather than bond purchases, although the sources cited suggested that there was still no consensus on whether the BoJ would make a move at next week’s policy meeting.

4. Brexit not so bad?

Data out Wednesday showed that unemployment in the U.K. remained unchanged at 4.9% in July, dampening concerns that the June 23 decision to leave the European Union (EU), known as a Brexit, was hampering the British economy.

Adding fuel to the argument that the decision was having little impact, the employment rate remained at a record high of 74.5%.

Separately, European Commisioner Jean-Claude Juncker shrugged off concerns for the bloc, stating that Britain’s decision to leave did not mark the end of the UE.