Global markets were mostly lower and Japan's stock index tumbled Thursday as the U.S. dollar sank against the yen after the head of the Federal Reserve suggested a cut to interest rates will come soon.

France's CAC 40 slid 1.3% in early trading to 7,433.71. Germany's DAX declined 1.3% to 18,275.40, while Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 8,347.45. The future for the S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher while that for the Dow industrials fell 0.1%.