NEW YORK (CNNfn) - U.S. stock markets were poised for broad opening losses Wednesday after a less-than-sparkling forecast from Internet equipment maker Cisco Systems.
Nasdaq-100 futures fell more than 1 percent, a sign that the Nasdaq market could open with a loss. Standard & Poor's futures were also lower, signaling initial declines for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial average.
Cisco (CSCO: Research, Estimates) , the No. 1 maker of Internet router and switching equipment, warned of continuing weakness in the U.S. and Asian markets. Revenue in the current quarter could be down as much as 5 percent from the prior three months, in contrast to the modest increase expected by analysts.
Cisco reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that tumbled 86 percent, but were in line with analysts' lowered expectations. Executives of the company told analysts to be "more conservative" when setting financial expectations for the company in the coming months.
Shares of Cisco fell 37 cents to $18.89 in after-hours trading Tuesday following a 28-cent drop in regular hours.
Cisco's gloomy outlook affected markets around the world. Asian stocks finished lower Wednesday, and European markets opened in negative territory.
The Dow Jones industrial average starts at 10,458.74 after gaining 57 points Tuesday. The Nasdaq composite index is at 2,027.79 after losing 6 points, while the S&P 500 begins at 1,204.40 following a nearly 4-point gain.
With stock futures showing signs of weakness, Treasury prices rose in early trading. The 10-year note yield dipped to 5.15 percent from 5.17 percent, while the 30-year bond yield held at 5.60 percent.
The dollar gained against the euro and slipped versus the yen. Brent oil futures rose 18 cents to $26.54 a barrel in London.
The Commerce Department issues its report on June wholesale inventories a half-hour after the markets open. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast no change in inventory levels, compared with a 0.2 percent increase in May. Lower inventories could be interpreted as a signal of economic recovery, since it opens the door for new manufacturing.
Microsoft (MSFT: Research, Estimates) asked the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that the software maker is an illegal monopoly that hurt consumers and smothered the competition. The company is seeking to bypass a lower court's rendering of penalties in the long-standing case. Microsoft rose 22 cents to $66.35 Tuesday.
Aetna (AET: Research, Estimates) , the insurer, reported a wider-than-expected second-quarter loss. The company's shares were unchanged Tuesday at $26.35.
Other companies that reported results before the opening bell were catalog retailer Lands' End (LE: Research, Estimates) , clothing designer Polo Ralph Lauren (RL: Research, Estimates) and trash collector Waste Management (WMI: Research, Estimates).
After the close, supermarket operator Winn-Dixie Stores (WIN: Research, Estimates) and theme park operator Six Flags (PKS: Research, Estimates) are among the companies expected to post results. 
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