NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Concerns about weaker-than-expected retail sales and a possible slump in technology could hit stocks in the early going Wednesday, preventing a followthrough from the prior session's rally.

U.S. stock futures were down in early trading, indicating a lower opening for stocks.

The futures turned lower after an industry group reported early Wednesday that global sales of chip-making equipment fell in February compared to the year earlier period, the first such drop in 19 months.

U.S. retail sales rose 0.3 percent in March, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, but fell short of expectations after a sharp downturn in department store and clothing sales.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a 0.8 percent gain, up from a 0.5 percent rise in February.

Excluding autos, which can swing sharply from month to month, retail sales advanced just 0.1 percent -- the weakest reading since April 2004 -- compared with forecasts for a 0.5 percent gain.

After the market close Wednesday investors will see earnings reports from two high-profile tech companies -- Apple Computer (Research) and chipmaker Advance Micro Devices (Research).

Apple earnings per share are forecast to soar to 24 cents from 7 cents a year earlier, but AMD is expected to see EPS plunge to 2 cents from 12 cents a year earlier, according to analysts surveyed by earnings tracker First Call.

The stock futures were off despite a drop in oil prices in early trading ahead of Wednesday's report on U.S. fuel inventories.

The May light crude contract lost 39 cents to $51.37 a barrel in electronic trading, while the May contract for Brent crude fell 62 cents to $51.36.

Major markets in Asia closed mixed Wednesday as Japan's Nikkei lost ground on the falling value of the dollar while indexes in Hong Kong and Australia gained.

Major European markets were higher in early trading, following the late afternoon rally in U.S. stocks Tuesday after the minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting signaled the central bank intends to keep hiking interest rates at only a measured pace.

Treasury prices turned higher, lowering the yield on the 10-year note to 4.33 percent after the drop to 4.35 percent level late Tuesday on the release of the Fed minutes. The dollar lost ground on the euro and the yen.

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