IBT Staff Reporter

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday, extending the previous day's slide, as signs the U.S. economic recovery may be slowing and worries about the euro zone's debt crisis weighed on sentiment.

The Franklin County Sheriff department has confirmed that several people were killed and many more were injured and have gone missing after a possible tornado hit the community of Denning in Franklin County early Wednesday morning.

Shares in Glencore International Plc <0805.HK> fell as much as 3 percent on their Hong Kong debut on Wednesday, with Asian investors spooked by concerns over valuations and the outlook for commodities.

Japan's economy is already showing signs of recovering from a slump that followed a devastating earthquake in March, Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa said on Wednesday while stressing that the central bank would remain vigilant about economic risks.

Roger Federer sent out a warning to Djokovic and Nadal as he cruised past France's Maxime Teixeira to progress into the third round of the French Open.

The tremors of Japan’s earthquake and hacking attacks will cost Sony ¥14 billion (US$170 million) in this financial year, Sony said, reports say.

While President Obama will travel to Missouri to survey the damage leveled by the tornado killing more than 100 people, teen pop sensation Justin Bieber, singer Katty Perry and actress Eva Longoria are raising funds to help the victims of the devastating tornado.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde announced on Wednesday that she will be seeking to lead the International Monetary Fund.

European Union has besieged more Iranian shipping companies as a move to tighten sanctions which have been imposed on the Islamic Republic.

As the clueless devastated survivors of Joplin look out for help, social networking sites like facebook and twitter came up for their rescue.

Hugo Chavez's government has condemned United States sanctions which imposed Venezuela's state oil company for doing business with Iran.

The protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh by the powerful tribes of Yemen left 38 dead on Tuesday as the uprising threatened to turn into a militia-led revolt.

Costco Wholesale Corp posted a higher quarterly profit as it sold more gasoline and got a boost from stronger foreign currencies.

Stock index futures pointed to a weak start for Wall Street on Wednesday, following a late sell-off in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq down 0.1 to 0.3 percent by 5:06 a.m. EDT.

Buoyant commodities demand from emerging economies is straining tight supplies and putting more pressure on producers to ramp up output, Glencore's chief executive said on Wednesday.

Barnes & Noble unveiled a new Nook e-reader on Tuesday that weighs less than a paperback book and has a battery life of two months -- features designed to help it compete with Amazon.com and Apple.

ZTE Corp, China's No.2 network equipment maker, plans to launch smartphones based on Microsoft Corp's Mango operating system in Europe in the third quarter of this year, executives said.

Rainforest activist and his wife were ambushed and shot dead in the Amazon state of Para in northern Brazil on Tuesday.

The Federal Reserve should begin to hike interest rates in coming months, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Wednesday, as it raised its outlook for U.S. economic growth.

Federal prosecutors are investigating allegations that former employees of Avon Products Inc bribed foreign officials, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Federal Reserve should begin raising U.S. interest rates and the European Central Bank should pause its monetary tightening cycle, the OECD said on Wednesday.

World stocks fell while the euro headed toward a two-month low on Wednesday on concerns about the euro zone's spreading debt crisis and the potential for a further reduction of positions in risky assets.

The U.S. Treasury made a small profit when it sold a portion of its shares in American International Group Inc on Tuesday, but it was unclear how its investment in the beleaguered insurer will ultimately fare.

A Taliban suicide bomber killed six people, ramming an explosives-laden truck into a three-storey police station in Peshawar, officials said.

Nokia planned to launch its first smartphone using Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 at the end of the year, according to Taiwan's Commercial Times, which did not identify a source.

Tyler Hamilton, the former teammate of Lance Armstrong who appeared on 60 Minutes and accused Armstrong of doping, was quoted as saying he feels bad about beating up Armstrong.

The NBA players union has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board contending that the NBA is conducting in unfair labor practices.

The years were rolled back as Gary Neville's final match at Old Trafford saw the 'Class of 92' reunited against Juventus in a rematch of the 1999 European Cup semifinal.

The euro and oil slipped on Wednesday as a rally the previous day fizzled on fears about Europe's spreading debt crisis and the potential for a further reduction of positions in risky assets.