LONDON (Reuters) � Stock index futures signaled a mixed start for Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.1 percent, Dow Jones industrial average futures flat and Nasdaq futures up 0.1 percent by 5.20 EDT.
Stocks on Wall Street closed little changed on Tuesday after promising data from the retail sector fed recent optimism that the economic recovery, while slow, was proceeding.
In the currency market, the dollar jumped more than two yen from a 15-year low after Japan intervened to sell yen for the first time in six years.
Investors are expected to focus on further economic data scheduled for release on Wednesday to gauge the pace of economic recovery.
U.S. industrial production figures for August, due at 1315 GMT, is seen rising for the third straight month.
The New York Federal Reserve's Empire State index for September, expected at 1230 GMT, is also forecast to show a pick-up in factory activity this month.
In company news, Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) Chief Executive Brian Moynihan said on Tuesday the bank must be less volatile and was continuing to streamline its myriad businesses worldwide. He also sees more opportunities to cross-sell products to different parts of its customer base.
Another Transocean Ltd (RIG.N) rig is leaving the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, still under contract with Statoil (STL.OL), the fourth rig departure resulting from a moratorium on U.S. deepwater drilling.
Intel Corp (INTC.O) unveiled microprocessors for smart TVs and Web-connected cars on Tuesday and expanded an online store selling application for netbooks built with its Atom chips.
Google Inc (GOOG.O) plans to gradually introduce social-networking features starting this fall, reviving attempts to compete with Facebook after pulling the plug on its stillborn Wave project.
Mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB) and Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB) will not exist in their current form after a revamp of the U.S. housing finance system, a top Obama administration official said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a healthcare conference, Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) chief executive Chris Viehbacher said the firm was not in a hurry to buy Genzyme Corp (GENZ.O), and still does not see anyone else trying to buy Genzyme.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) faces a critical test on Wednesday over whether its controversial diet pill should remain on the U.S. market, despite heart risks.
Terra Firma Capital Partners Ltd can proceed to trial against Citigroup Inc (C.N) in their dispute over Terra's 2007 acquisition of music group EMI, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
American International Group (AIG.N) could list its Taiwan unit Nan Shan Life as a possible option following regulators' rejection of a $2.2 billion bid for the unit, a Taiwan newspaper reported on Wednesday.
After the closing bell on Tuesday, shares in MasterCard Inc (MA.N) gained 1.6 percent to $202.99 in extended trade after the company's board authorized the repurchase of $1 billion in Class A stock.
On the economic front, Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. economic recovery did not need an additional boost from the Federal Reserve now and will not need one if it continues along the track expected by policymakers.
President Barack Obama edged closer to naming Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren as his new top consumer financial watchdog on Tuesday, but lawmakers were split over how he should do it.
Shares in Europe edged lower by mid morning trade in a choppy session. Gains in carmakers limited losses, with Renault (RENA.PA), which has a significant stake in Japan's Nissan (7201.T), up after Japan intervened to weaken the yen.
(Reporting by Harpreet Bhal; Editing by Will Waterman)
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