European stock prices are mixed in midday trading Wednesday.

London's Financial Times index is down nearly one-half of one percent. The CAC-40 in Paris is down one-quarter of one percent, while the DAX index in Frankfurt is up nearly one-tenth of one percent.

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

in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei index gained 1.8 percent to finish at 9,629.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained less than one-tenth of one percent to finish the day's trading at 21,860.

Gold is trading at $1,543.10 an ounce.

The dollar is basically unchanged in trading against other major currencies.