U.S. equity index futures are indicating a negative open to start the week.
S&P 500 futures are down 5.25 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1346.50 as of this writing. Nasdaq 100 contracts are off 0.18 percent to 2604.25.
European indexes are trading lower, led by a 0.41 percent drop in the U.K. FTSE 100 and a 0.13 percent decline in the German DAX. Asian markets fared far worse as Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged 1.88 percent Japan's Nikkei 225 shed 1.37 percent.
Commodity markets are largely positive, with crude-oil futures up 0.15 points to 84.62. Copper contracts are holding onto the 3.40 support level at 3.413, a gain of 0.08 percent.
In currency markets, the euro/dollar is up 0.0026 points, or 0.21 percent, to 1.2309. That is contributing to the bid in commodities this morning.
Spot gold prices are higher by 4.60 points, or 0.28 percent, to 1583.40, while silver futures are up 1 percent to 27.19.
In stock-specific news, Amerigroup is soaring some 39 percent on news that it is being acquired by WellPoint for nearly $5 billion.
U.S. banks are trading mostly lower, with JP Morgan and Bank of America leading to the downside.
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