Dow Jones futures fall back further ahead of the opening and US data releases at 2pm GMT

Since the last update here on the Dow Jones futures, the noted modest rebound, to price the opening above 41,950 has given way to fresh downside and index has not that long ago been priced to reopen below 41,700. The reported comments emanating from Russia seem to have been at least partly to account for that fall. The important US data (JOLTS and manufacturing ISM index will also play at least a passing role in how the index behaves once it reopens at 1.30pm GMT. To provide some detail on that; the March ISM index is widely forecast to fall back to around 49.5 from a prior reading of 50.3. It is important to note; that anything below 50 signifies contraction. There will be more to add here on that once the data and all its component parts hit the screens. Also out at the same time is the latest JOLT- job openings data. That is expected to show a contraction too, with the number of vacancies in February falling to around 7.65 million, from 7.74 million in January. The Dow Jones is right now priced to reopen around 41,735