U.S. share
futures and the dollar tumbled on Wednesday on worries about more U.S.
political turmoil after media reports said President Donald Trump asked
then-FBI Director James Comey to end a probe into Trump's former
national security advisor.
The
reports raised questions over whether obstruction of justice charges
could be laid against Trump, weakening confidence in the U.S.
president's ability to push through an aggressive stimulus programme
that investors had been banking on since his election in November.
S&P 500 mini futures, the world's most liquid stock futures, dropped 0.5 percent to 2,385, though they have managed to hold above their recent lows around 2,379.
European shares are expected to open lower, with spread-betters looking at declines of 0.6 percent for Germany's DAX, 0.4 percent in France's CAC and 0.2 percent for Britain's FTSE.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.3 percent while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.5 percent.
Trump asked Comey to end the FBI investigation into ties between former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia, according to a source who has seen a memo written by Comey.
The news, first reported by the New York Times, came after Trump had fired Comey and then discussed classified national security information about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The White House quickly denied the New York Times report, saying in a statement it was "not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey."
The tumult at the White House prompted currency traders to ditch the dollar against a broad range of currencies, most notably against the yen, to which investors often turn as a safe haven when there are problems in Europe and the United States.
S&P 500 mini futures, the world's most liquid stock futures, dropped 0.5 percent to 2,385, though they have managed to hold above their recent lows around 2,379.
European shares are expected to open lower, with spread-betters looking at declines of 0.6 percent for Germany's DAX, 0.4 percent in France's CAC and 0.2 percent for Britain's FTSE.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.3 percent while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.5 percent.
Trump asked Comey to end the FBI investigation into ties between former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia, according to a source who has seen a memo written by Comey.
The news, first reported by the New York Times, came after Trump had fired Comey and then discussed classified national security information about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The White House quickly denied the New York Times report, saying in a statement it was "not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey."
The tumult at the White House prompted currency traders to ditch the dollar against a broad range of currencies, most notably against the yen, to which investors often turn as a safe haven when there are problems in Europe and the United States.
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