U.S. stock-index futures late Tuesday implied a lower open for the markets Wednesday, after Apple Inc. fell in after-hours trade amid disappointment over its outlook, and after Microsoft Corp. posted its largest-ever quarterly loss. About 10 hours ahead of the start of New York trade, CBT eMini Nasdaq 100 futures suggested a 1.2% opening loss, while eMini Dow Jones Industrial Average and futures for the S&P 500 were down 0.4% each. The futures — though they could move considerably ahead of the start of trade, especially after the European markets open — were in line with midday weakness on the major Asian bourses, with Japan’s Nikkei Average down 1.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index down 1%. On Tuesday, the Dow industrials ended 1% lower, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.2%, and the S&P 500 lost 0.4%.
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