US stock futures pointed to a modest gain, with S&P 500 futures rising around 0.6 percent at the open.European stocks were slightly lower, with the Stoxx 600 index down 0.4 percent. In Asia, markets mostly declined as oil-importing economies felt pressure from elevated energy costs. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped about 1 percent, while markets in Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China also closed lower.
