U.S. stock index futures slipped on Thursday as signs of rising tensions in the Middle East weighed on risk sentiment and investors sought more clarity on Washington's recent trade deals with China. Shares of planemaker Boeing lost 7% premarket after an Air India aircraft with more than 200 people crashed in India's western city of Ahmedabad,

The Australian sharemarket is set to retreat, with futures at 4.53am AEST pointing to a loss of 34 points, or 0.4 per cent, at the open. The ASX dipped by 7 points on Tuesday. The Australian dollar slumped. It was 0.7 per cent lower at 64.71 US cents at 5.07am AEST.