A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts

Pre-open movers US stock futures are higher this morning, as investors are awaiting earnings from several major companies. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 56 points to 12,906.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 7.40 points to 1,371.30. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 11.75 points to 2,675.50. A Peek Into Global Markets European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 1.06%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.84%, French CAC 40 index rose 1.53% and German DAX 30 index gained 1.18%. Asian markets ended mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dipping 0.06%, China's Shanghai Composite dropping 0.94% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 0.31%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined 0.23% and India's Sensex gained 1.31%. Broker Recommendation Analysts at Goldman downgraded First Solar Inc FSLR from “buy” to “neutral.” The target price for First Solar has been lowered from $45 to $24. First Solar shares dropped 2.02% to $20.40 in pre-market trading. Breaking news

• ImmunoGen Inc IMGN today announced that the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its IMGN853 product candidate is now active. To read the full news, click here.
• BioDelivery Sciences International Inc BDSI announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has formally awarded BDSI's patent No. 13/184306, "Transmucosal Delivery Devices with Enhanced Uptake," which extends the patent protection for BDSI's BioErodible MucoAdhesive products, BEMA Buprenorphine and BEMA Buprenorphine/Naloxone, by seven years to 2027. To read the full news, click here.
• EnteroMedics Inc ETRM today announced that it has closed on a growth capital term loan for $20 million, amending its existing debt agreement with Silicon Valley Bank, and entered into a purchase agreement for a $5 million equity offering. To read the full news, click here.
• U.S. Bancorp USB posted a better-than-expected first-quarter profit. To read the full news, click here.