A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts

US stock futures are higher this morning, as investors are awaiting housing market index. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 21 points to 13,969.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 1.30 points to 1,518.40. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 2.50 points to 2,763.75.

European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 0.61%, London's FTSE 100 Index gained 0.29%, German DAX 30 Index rose 0.79% and French CAC 40 Index climbed 1.10%. Asian markets ended mixed, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average falling 0.31%, China's Shanghai Composite dropping 1.60% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index gaining 0.36%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.02% and India's Sensex gained 0.69%.

Analysts at RBC Capital upgraded MGM Resorts International

from “sector perform” to “outperform.” The target price for MGM Resorts has been raised from $13 to $16. MGM Resorts shares gained 0.16% to $12.90 in pre-market trading.