Economic Calendar

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Futures point to a slightly weaker Wall St start

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* Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average DJc1, the S&P 500 SPc1 and the Nasdaq 100 NDc1 traded down about 0.1 percent, pointing to a slightly weaker start on Wall Street after a positive close on Wednesday.

* U.S. GDP and jobless claims data are due at 1230 GMT.

* Crude oil futures CLc1 rose for a fourth straight day to trade near $119 a barrel, while the euro gained, adding to its recovery from a six-month low against the dollar .

* Fannie Mae , the biggest provider of U.S. home financing, and Freddie Mac will be in focus. Shares of the companies have risen in past sessions as investors' confidence has been growing that there will be no government bailout that would wipe out their equity.

* Trading volume is expected to be light ahead of the U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend and could exaggerate price moves.

* The New York Times said that the New York Attorney General announced an agreement that would require Xcel Energy Inc , a builder of coal-fired plants, to disclose to investors the financial risks of global warming.

* The paper also reported that Amgen is halting some pricing practices that critics say were contributing to its flagship anaemia drug Aranesp at a time of mounting concerns about the product's safety.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash)


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