Reuters | Spain’s 10-year bond yield climbed to a euro-era record of 7 percent on Wednesday as the storm surrounding Europe’s debt crisis worsened, with fears over its impact on global growth sending world shares lower.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a more mixed start on Wall Street after weak retail sales data and the euro zone’s problems had sent shares lower on Wednesday.

“The underlying problem of deteriorating confidence in sovereign debt in Europe is continuing to intensify,” said Lee Hardman, currency economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.