Wall Street stock futures were little changed Wednesday, ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s assessment of the economy.

The Fed releases its Beige Book survey of U.S. economic conditions this afternoon.

Here at home, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports on housing starts in August later this morning. Economists expect 136,500 starts, on an annualized basis, up from 134,200 the previous month.

In other economic news, a report released Wednesday by RBC Economics Research shows home ownership in Canada became more affordable in the second quarter with modest improvement registered across the country.

In commodities news, U.S. benchmark light sweet crude for October delivery was hovering at around US$71 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Investors will be looking to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries as it considers production targets at a meeting later in the day.

Overseas, financial markets were mixed.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 Average fell 0.8% to 10,312.14. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 1% to end at 20,851.04, snapping a four-session rally.

The UK’s FTSE 100 index was up 0.4% at 4,966.01, the German DAX rose 0.3% to 5500.22 and the CAC-40 index in Paris advanced 0.2% to 3666.57.

Strength in oil prices helped the benchmark index of the resource-heavy Toronto Stock Exchange gain nearly 90 points on Tuesday.

The S&P/TSX composite index advanced by 87.83 points, or 0.8%, to close at 11,105.30.

Energy stocks led the gains, rising 2.5% as oil futures rallied.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index added 11.81 points, or 1%, to close at 1,241.06.

In New York, the main U.S. stock market indices were also lifted by strength in energy stocks on Tuesday, extending their gains to three consecutive sessions.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 56.07 points, or 0.6%, to end at 9,497.34.

The S&P 500 index added 8.99 points, or 0.9%, to 1,025.39.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 18.99 points, or 0.9%, to 2,037.77.

IE