U.S. stock futures are lower in pre-market trading for Thursday, August 24.The Dow Futures are trading at 21,822.50 for up with +0.13% percent or +27.50 point. The S&P 500 Futures are trading at 2,443.50 for up with +0.08% percent or +2.00 point. The Nasdaq Futures are trading at 5,859.75 for up with +0.20% percent or +11.75 point.

In overnight trading in the Eastern Hemisphere, Japan’s Nikkei 225 are trading at 19,353.77 with a loss of  –0.42% percent or  –80.87 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng are trading at 27,543.03 for up with +0.52% percent or +141.36 point. China’s Shanghai Composite are trading at 3,271.33 with a loss of –0.50% percent or –16.37 point. India’s S&P BSE Sensex are trading at 31,613.20 for up with +0.14% percent or +45.19 point at 12:15 PM . In Europe, the FTSE 100 are trading at 7,420.96 for up with  +0.52% percent or  +38.31 point. Germany’s DAX are trading at 12,214.45 for up with +0.33% percent or +40.15 point. France’s CAC 40 are trading at 5,127.16 for up with  +0.23% percent or +11.82 point. The Stoxx Europe 600 are trading at 375.53 for up with  +0.43% percent or +1.61 point.

Thursday’s Factors and Events

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Thursday, as investors tried to shake off concerns surrounding the U.S. administration and switched focus to the monetary policy symposium at Jackson Hole.

Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 47 points, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 4.75 points and 16.75 points, respectively.

Thursday marks the start of the 2017 Economic Policy Symposium on “Fostering a Dynamic Global Economy” at Jackson Hole, where leading central bankers are set to meet.

Wednesday’s Activity

U.S. market were lower on Wednesday. For the day the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 21,812.09  with  a loss of –0.40% percent or  –87.80 point.The S&P 500 closed at 2,444.04 with a loss of –0.35% percent or –8.47 point. The Nasdaq Composite closed at 6,278.41  with a loss of –0.30%percent or  –19.07 point.

Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,369.74  with a loss of -0.13% percent or -1.80 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 822.85  with a loss of  –0.31% percent or –2.52 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,703.08  with a loss of –0.23% percent or –3.96 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,081.27  with a loss of  –0.37% percent or –3.97 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,442.85  with  a loss of –0.30% percent or –4.36 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,353.21  with a loss of –0.31% percent or –4.27 point; and the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index closed at 21,812.09  with a loss of –0.40% percent or –87.80 point.