U.S. stock futures were Wednesday ahead of retail sales data, as the markets struggled to recover from the last session's financials-led sell off. Less than two hours before the start of trading, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were five points lower at 11640. The S&P 500 futures slipped 2.6 points to 1288.9, and Nasdaq 100 futures edged up 2.25 points to 1947. Changes in futures do not always accurately predict early market moves after the opening bell. A rebound in oil prices ahead of inventories data could further pressure the markets. Oil futures rose 86 cents to $113.87 a barrel before the release of weekly inventories data at 10:30 a.m., EDT. The dollar fell 0.3% to 108.95 yen, and gold futures rose $4.30 to $812.50 an ounce.
