FILE - In this July 16, 2015 file photo, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The biggest news Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015 is whether the Fed will announce in a statement at 2 p.m. Eastern time that itís raising its target for the federal funds rate _ the interest that banks charge each other on overnight loans. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ107

In this July 16, 2015 file photo, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

U.S. stock futures were lower Thursday while global stock markets wavered as investors bet that the Federal Reserve would not raise interest rates.

Here is where major market index futures stood ahead of the start of regular trading:

Dow: -0.1%

S&P 500: -0.2%

Nasdaq:  -0.1%

Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 1.4% to close at 18,432.27 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost 0.5%. The Shanghai composite index dropped 2.1% to close at 3,086.06.

In Europe, Germany's DAX index gained 0.4%, while France's CAC 40 rose 0.3%. Britain's FTSE 100 index was 0.2% lower.

Stocks rallied Wednesday afternoon after the Fed kicked off its long-awaited two-day policy meeting.

Two months ago, it seemed almost certain that the Fed was going to raise rates in September, but following turmoil in financial markets and concerns about China's economy, more investors believe the Fed will wait until December to raise rates.

Interest rates have been near zero since 2008 in response to the financial crisis and recession. The Fed's low interest rate policy was designed to encourage lending, but it also helped drive a seven-year bull market in stocks.

Contributing: Associated Press