Investing.com -- Stock futures on Wall Street point lower as traders weigh upcoming US inflation data and a debate between US presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. The two candidates sparred in a fiery exchange, but investors were left with scant details about either of their economic proposals. Elsewhere, GameStop (NYSE:GME) shares slump in extended-hours trading after the US video game retailer announced that it would issue new shares despite reporting a decline in quarterly revenue.
1. Futures slip
US stock futures dipped on Wednesday, as investors gauged the outcome of a heated debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and looked ahead to the release of fresh US inflation data that could factor into the Federal Reserve's upcoming monetary policy.
By 03:34 ET (07:34 GMT), the Dow futures contract had fallen by 95 points or 0.2%, S&P 500 futures had dipped by 11 points or 0.2%, and Nasdaq 100 futures had slipped by 47 points or 0.3%.
The benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite both advanced in the prior session -- the first time that the averages have posted two consecutive days of gains since mid-August.
However, the 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated, with bank shares dropping after JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) flagged that analysts' consensus estimates for its earnings next year were too optimistic. Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) Chief Executive David Solomon also warned that trading revenues at the investment bank would decline by 10% in the current quarter.
Traders are now awaiting the August reading of the US consumer price index -- a key inflation measure. The figure could provide some insight into the size of a possible interest rate cut by the Fed at its next two-day meeting later this month.
2. Heated Trump-Harris provides few details to Wall Street
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic rival Kamala Harris exchanged barbs in a fiery debate on Tuesday, clashing on everything from immigration to the economy.
Heading into the much-anticipated event, which came at a time when Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck in national polls, investors were left with scant details about how either hopeful would approach key topics like tariffs, taxes and regulation.
During the campaign, Trump has pledged to slash corporate taxes and assume a tougher stance on tariffs. Harris, conversely, has vowed to bump up corporate taxes. Analysts have projected that while Trump's plan could help boost company profits, it may also fuel inflation. But they have also noted that Harris's proposal, on the other hand, could dent corporate returns.
On the debate stage, Harris took aim at Trump's policy of imposing high tariffs on foreign goods, arguing that it would effectively be a tax on the middle class. Trump defended the plan, saying it would not lead to higher prices for Americans, and attacked Harris for overseeing a period of elevated inflation during the Biden administration's term.
The Chinese yuan, which had been dented by trade tensions between Washington and Beijing during Trump's prior tenure in the White House, strengthened against the dollar.
3. GameStop to issue more shares
GameStop's stock price shed more than a tenth of its value in extended hours trading after the video game retailer said it would issue more shares despite posting sliding second-quarter revenue.
The company, which has become known as a focal point of the meme-stock craze in 2021, said that it would use the proceeds from issuing 20 million new shares to fund "general corporate purposes," including potential "acquisitions and investments in a manner consistent with out investment policy."
For the quarter ended on Aug. 3, GameStop reported revenue of $798.3 million, down from $1.16 billion in the year-ago period, in a sign that the firm is continuing to face pressures from a rise in online gaming purchases and sluggish performance at its brick-and-mortar stores.
4. Chinese biotech firms rebound after US House bill sparks declines
Hong Kong-listed shares in several Chinese biotechnology companies regained some ground on Tuesday after a sell-off triggered by a bill in the US House of Representatives.
WuXi AppTec (SS:603259), Beigene (HK:6160), Akeso (HK:9926), and Sino Biopharmaceutical (HK:1177) all traded higher.
The stocks had slipped earlier this week after the US House passed a bill restricting their operations in America on national security grounds. Supporters said the measure was necessary to protect Americans' personal health and genetic information.
The bill must now pass through the US Senate before it can be signed into law by President Joe Biden.
5. Oil prices rebound amid supply concerns
Oil prices were higher in European trading on Wednesday as traders waited to assess the impact of Hurricane Francine on production in the Gulf of Mexico.
Prices also took some support from industry data showing an unexpected weekly draw in U.S. oil inventories.
But oil markets were nursing steep losses from Tuesday, as disappointing Chinese import data and a cut to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ demand forecast presented a dour outlook for oil markets.
Brent oil futures expiring in November rose 1.3% to $70.11 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures ticked up by 1.4% to $66.05 per barrel by 03:34 ET.