Markets Falter Amid Crude Price Decline, Trump-Xi Summit Looms

Global markets are experiencing a lackluster trading day on Wednesday due to a mild decline in crude oil prices, which is being partially offset by hopes of progress in U.S.-Iran diplomacy.

The market's attention is focused on the upcoming Trump-Xi summit in Washington, where trade, artificial intelligence, and global geopolitics are expected to be discussed.

Wall Street futures have risen slightly due to demand for Meta Platform's new AI agent, Muse, which has boosted AI stocks. In contrast, major European benchmarks are mostly trading lower following weak PMI updates from the U.K.

Cryptocurrencies are bucking the trend and are currently in positive territory.