A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts

US stock futures are higher this morning, as investors are awaiting jobless claims and consumer confidence data. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 11 points to 13,059.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 1.50 points to 1,415.00. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 5.50 points to 2,634.00.

European markets were mostly higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 0.19%, London's FTSE 100 Index gained 0.23%, German DAX 30 Index dropped 0.14% and French CAC 40 Index rose 0.36%. Asian markets ended mostly higher, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rising 0.91%, China's Shanghai Composite dropping 0.60% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index gaining 0.34%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.35% and India's Sensex dropped 0.48%.

Analysts at Stephens upgraded KAR Auction Services

from “equal weight” to “overweight.” The target price for KAR Auction has been raised from $19 to $23. KAR Auction shares gained 0.21% to $19.59 in after-hours trading.