09:06 AM EDT, 10/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were edging lower ahead of Wednesday's opening bell as traders awaited release of the minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent policy setting meeting for clues about future monetary policy.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down 0.1%, S&P 500 futures were down 0.1%, while Nasdaq futures slipped 0.2%.

Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.5% at $76.77 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude down 0.5% at $73.18 per barrel.

The Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to release the minutes from its September meeting at 2 pm ET.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.9% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.4% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 6.6% lower. Meanwhile, UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.2% and Germany's DAX 30 index was up 0.1%, while France's CAC 40 was down 0.04% and Spain's IBEX-35 was down 0.5% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Arcadium Lithium ( ARLTF ) were nearly 30% higher pre-bell after the company agreed to a $5.85-per-share takeover by Rio Tinto (RIO). Clearside Biomedical ( CLSD ) shares were up 10% after the company said topline data from a phase 2b trial showed its potential treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration achieved both primary and secondary outcomes.

On the losing side, Kidpik ( PIK ) shares fell 11% after the company said in a Form 8-K filing Tuesday it has submitted a request to the Nasdaq Hearings Panel to stay the delisting of its shares.