Futures Lower on Global Economic Worries

By Madlen Read

NEW YORK -- Lowered expectations for the global economy are giving investors more to be wary about.

Stock futures were down early Monday as the World Bank added to the market's growing economic worries. The Washington-based multilateral lender predicted the world economy will shrink 2.9% in 2009. That estimate was worse than its previous forecast for a 1.7% decline.

Before the market's open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are down 50, or 0.6%, at 8,426. S&P 500 index futures are down 7.70, or 0.8%, at 908. Nasdaq 100 index futures are down 12.25, or 0.8%, to 1,451.75.

The stock market is coming off its first weekly loss in more than a month after a batch of weak economic readings.