The main US stock measures were mixed in Wednesday's premarket activity as traders await minutes of the Federal Reserve's last policy meeting.
The S&P 500 was flat and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1% before the opening bell, while the Nasdaq edged down 0.2%. The indexes finished Tuesday trading lower for the third consecutive session.
The Fed is scheduled to post minutes of its last policy meeting at 2 pm ET, which will be assessed for fresh insight on the central bank's monetary policy. At the meeting last month, policymakers left interest rates unchanged in a divided decision, with three regional presidents calling for policy tightening.
Markets are currently pricing in a 67% probability that the Fed will keep its benchmark rate steady in September, with the remaining odds in favor of a 25-basis-point hike, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Treasury yields were down before the open, with the two-year rate retreating 1.7 basis points to 4.16% and the 10-year rate off 0.8 basis points to 4.7%.
In a social media post on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the US is not in negotiations with Iran, after a 60-day ceasefire between the two countries expired earlier this week. Trump also said the naval blockade against Tehran remains in "full force," while the Strait of Hormuz is "open and operating."
Iran is considering targeting US military assets in Europe if the war escalates, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing sources.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $85.88 a barrel in premarket action, while Brent gained 1% to $91.95.
In a separate Tuesday post on Truth Social, Trump said he paused the implementation of 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports, shortly before the duties were to come into effect on Wednesday, as the two countries "have a deal," subject to the finalization of documents.
Last month, Trump signed three proclamations to impose 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.
Shares of Lowe's (LOW) were down 2.6% pre-bell after the home-improvement retailer said it now expects its full-year results to be at the low end of its previously issued guidance range. Keysight Technologies (KEYS) increased 2.2% as the company issued an upbeat fiscal fourth-quarter earnings outlook.
Analog Devices (ADI), TJX (TJX), Target (TGT) and Estee Lauder (EL) also report their latest financial results before the bell, among others. Nordson (NDSN) and Coty (COTY) post earnings after the markets close.
Wednesday's economic calendar also has the weekly mortgage applications bulletin and the weekly EIA domestic petroleum inventories report.
Gold nudged higher at $4,422 per troy ounce, while bitcoin decreased 0.5% to $64,320.
