A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts
Pre-open movers US stock futures are higher this morning. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 62 points to 11,840.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 8.10 points to 1,219.00. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 17 points to 2,249.75.
A Peek Into Global Markets European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 0.80%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.19%, French CAC 40 index rose 1% and German DAX 30 index gained 1.10%.
Asian markets ended lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropping 1.2074%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 2.49% and China's Shanghai Composite declining 0.30%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.1768% and India's Sensex dropped 0.72%.
Broker Recommendation Analysts at Credit Suisse upgraded Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) from Neutral to “outperform.” The target price for Lazard has been raised from $31 to $31.50.
Lazard shares gained 1.96% to close at $23.37 on Friday.
Breaking news
- Galapagos NV (OTC: GLPYY) announced today that investigational medicine GLPG0778, which is part of its immuno- inflammatory alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), has shown selective effects on a biomarker in a Phase I Proof-of-Mechanism study in healthy volunteers. To read the full news, click here.
- Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp (NASDAQ: RPTP), today announced the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases part of the National Institutes of Health to conduct a Phase 2b clinical trial. To read the full news, click here.
- Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC) announced today that it has deposited $11.2 million in cash as trust funds with U.S. Bank National Association, as the trustee of the outstanding 5.75% convertible senior notes, which is an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire amount due on the Notes, including accrued and unpaid interest. To read the full news, click here.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc (NASDAQ: KTOS) today announced that its board of directors has authorized the company to periodically repurchase shares of the company's common stock on the open market in order to satisfy the company's obligations to issue or deliver shares of its common stock to participants in the company's existing employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). To read the full news, click here.
