U.S. stock index futures barely budged on Thursday, as results from Taiwan's TSMC failed to shake investors from their cautious mood following a rollercoaster session marked by concerns about the Federal Reserve's independence.

U.S. stock index futures moved higher on Wednesday after cooler-than-expected producer prices data for June reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates later

Early trading on Wall Street was quietly mixed as markets shift their attention toward a deluge of corporate earnings reports.

By Elizabeth Howcroft PARIS (Reuters) -European stocks were mixed on Wednesday and Wall Street futures were down as traders were cautious about signs of U.S. tariffs causing inflation. Wall Street markets fell late on Tuesday and U.

U.S. natural gas futures were higher for a third day with weather forecasts showing strong heat-driven demand for the second half of July.

Stock futures were little changed on Tuesday evening, as investors await earnings releases from several big banks and the latest wholesale inflation report. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average pulled back 76 points, or 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures lost 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.2%.

With the deadline for tariffs now moved to August 1, investors are pinning their hopes on negotiations to stave off an all-out trade war. "Market volatility is likely to pick up, but the latest development does not constitute an escalation in the trade war," UBS analysts said.