US stock futures fall within European shares amid bank anxiety

London - US stock-index futures fell, tracking declines in European shares spurred by weakness in banks, while investors awaited a presidential debate and a meeting between major oil producers this week.

Wells Fargo & Company and Citigroup slipped more than 0.5% in premarket trading, while Deutsche Bank shares dropped to a record low amid concerns that mounting legal bills may force the lender to raise capital.

Bats Global Markets fell 2.8% after agreeing to be bought by CBOE Holdings for about $3.2bn in cash and stock. Bats jumped 20% on Friday on a Bloomberg report that the two companies were in talks.

S&P 500 Index contracts expiring in December lost 0.5% to 2 147.75 at 8:58 in New York. The underlying benchmark fell on Friday, trimming a weekly advance, as technology and energy shares slid.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped 99 points, to 18 091 today. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index lost 1.5%, on track for the worst slide in almost three months.

“Equity markets’ fixation with crude remains unabated,” said Michael Ingram, a market strategist at BGC Partners in London.

“I don’t think there will be a very positive decision from the OPEC meeting. Moreover, in terms of the presidential debate, Trump seems to have the momentum right now and markets should be wary of that.”

Oil rose after slumping Friday on concern OPEC won’t reach an agreement to curb output. Its members and Russia meet on Wednesday in Algiers to discuss coordinated action to support prices.

US elections are also in focus, as the first of three televised debates between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump kicks off tonight.

Trump and Clinton were deadlocked in a head-to-head race in the latest Bloomberg Politics national poll, with each getting 46% of likely voters. The Democratic candidate had a 6-point advantage on her Republican rival in August.

A Trump victory could lead to equity declines, Citigroup Inc. analysts warned last month.

The S&P 500 on Friday capped its biggest weekly advance in more than two months as investor concern eased about central banks’ willingness to stimulate growth.

The Federal Reserve last Wednesday held off raising rates, helping the equity benchmark recover from a rout earlier in September and return to within 1.2% of a record set in mid-August.

Investors are turning their attention to economic data and corporate health, with Alcoa unofficially kicking off the next earnings season when it reports results on October 10.

A report on new-home sales is due today, followed by releases on durable-goods orders, a revised look at second-quarter growth, as well as readings on personal income and spending later this week.

Among other shares moving on corporate news, Pfizer slipped 1.4% after deciding not to pursue a strategy of splitting into two separate companies.

Cal-Maine Foods retreated 5.9% as the largest US egg supplier scrapped its quarterly dividend payment after reporting a worse-than-forecast loss.

Chemtura Corporation  jumped 16% after Lanxess agreed to buy the specialty chemicals company for about $2.1bn in cash.