Stock futures inch higher ahead of opening (AP)

AP - Investors are continuing to search for direction Wednesday, after two days of relatively flat trading. Stock futures edged higher.

• World stocks flat but pound takes another hit (AP) AP - World stock markets traded in a narrow range Wednesday as investors looked for renewed direction, while the British pound continued to founder following unimpressive industrial output figures.



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• Stock futures signal higher open; Facet eyed (Reuters) Reuters - Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.07 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.09 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.25 percent.



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• FTSE 100 shares slip in early trade (AFP) AFP - Leading shares nudged lower at the start of trade on Wednesday amid continuing uncertainty over Europe's economic outlook.



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• Fiscal issues hit euro, sterling; stocks flat (Reuters) Reuters - Concerns over Europe's fiscal problems hit the euro and sterling on Wednesday, while world stocks hovered near their recent six-week highs, though they were still up 66 percent from a low hit one year ago.



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• SEC chief economist leaving (AP) AP - The chief economist of the Securities and Exchange Commission, who is an expert on the financial instruments that figured largely in the 2008 crisis, is leaving his position for the private sector.



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