U.S. equity futures nudged higher in early Wednesday trading, while the dollar eased and Treasury yields steadied, as investors braced for a crucial December inflation report that could define the market's direction over the coming weeks.

World stocks are mixed follow Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts.

US stocks gained after cooler-than-expected producer price index data soothed inflation concerns. The numbers on Tuesday showed wholesale inflation rose 0.2% in December on a monthly basis, compared to an estimated 0.4% increase. The reading climbed 3.3% from a year ago, below the projected 3.5% gain.