European stock prices are lower in midday trading Wednesday.

London's Financial Times index is down two-tenths of one percent. The CAC-40 in Paris is down half a percent, and the DAX index in Frankfurt is down four-tenths of a percent.

In New York, the S&P futures contract is down six points, indicating a lower opening.

Tokyo's Nikkei index gained three-tenths of a percent to finish at 9,574.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost seven-tenths of one percent to finish the day's trading at 22,344.

Gold is trading at $1,517.56 an ounce.

The dollar is trading higher against other major currencies.