Investors are waiting for certainty on a trade deal; the dollar is rising

European stocks slipped in choppy trading and U.S. equity futures edged lower following a mixed session in Asia as investors awaited fresh headlines on the outlook for global trade. The dollar nudged higher and Treasuries were steady. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index retreated after two days of gains, led lower by banks following disappointing earnings from HSBC Holdings and dovish signals from the ECB. Automakers were also under pressure as the European Union vowed prompt retaliation if the U.S. imposes tariffs on imported vehicles. Contracts on the Nasdaq, Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes edged down before the next round of talks between America and China to resolve their trade dispute get underway in Washington.

In Asia, Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told parliament the central bank would consider extra monetary easing if required, helping lift the Topix index. Shares in China were little changed as equities in Hong Kong slipped.

The Federal Reserve will on Wednesday publish minutes from its recent meeting, with the European Central Bank following suit on Thursday. Futures on the S&P 500 Index dipped 0.2 percent as of 9:14 a.m. London time. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dipped 0.4 percent, the biggest decrease in more than a week. The MSCI All-Country World Index decreased 0.1 percent. Brent crude fell 0.4 percent to $66.26 a barrel, the first retreat in more than a week.

Stocks Struggle Amid Trade News Lull; Dollar Rises, Bloomberg, Feb 19