Markets are pretty quiet on Wednesday as investors are taking in profits.
Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for.
1. Markets take a breather
After Wall Street closed the prior session at record highs, U.S. futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Wednesday as investors locked in profits.
Elsewhere, European bourses showed mixed trade with the pan-European Stoxx 600 set to break a 5-day winning streak Wednesday as chipmakers and miners weakened investor sentiment.
Earlier, Asian shares closed broadly higher Wednesday, taking a cue from Wall Street’s record close.
Meanwhile, Oil prices were on the rise on Wednesday as the International Energy Agency predicted that global demand was set to accelerate at its fastest pace in two years and increased its 2017 growth estimates.
Traders also looked ahead to official U.S. crude inventory data 14:30 GMT. Analysts expect crude oil inventories rose by around 3.2 million barrels at the end of last week.
2. Dollar ends 2-day winning streak
The dollar registered slight losses against major rivals on Wednesday, putting an end to two straight days of gains as investors turned their attention to upcoming U.S. economic data for fresh clues on the timing of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet reduction and its ability to raise interest rates again this year.
A report on producer prices is due at 12:30 GMT Wednesday, followed by closely-watched consumer price inflation data on Thursday.
Markets remain skeptical the Fed will raise rates again before the end of this year due to worries over the subdued inflation outlook, but it is widely expected to start the process of reducing its balance sheet sometime this fall.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, dropped 0.05% at 91.84 by 10:00 GMT.
3. Apple aftermath
Investors will continue to focus on Apple after the company unveiled its new iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on Tuesday.
Shares dipped a tad following the announcement. Futures suggested the stock could drop further when trading starts Wednesday.
The big question: Will consumers pay nearly $1,000 for a phone?
4. Is Bitcoin a fraud?
JP Morgan chief exec Jamie Dimon called bitcoin a “fraud" at a conference late Tuesday.
"It's just not a real thing, eventually it will be closed," Dimon said, adding that he would fire any of his employees trading in the cryptocurrency.
“You can’t have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart,” he argued.
On the U.S.-based Bitfinex exchange, bitcoin dropped 5.33% to $3,928.20 by 10:02 GMT.
