US Stock Futures Edge Higher; Costco Earnings In Focus

US stock futures traded slightly higher in early pre-market trade.

is expected to report its Q3 earnings after the closing bell. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 16.50 points to 18,069.50, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 2.15 points to 2,107.15. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index climbed 4.55 points to 4,484.30.

European markets were mostly higher today, with the Spanish Ibex Index rising 0.49 percent, STOXX Europe 600 Index gaining 0.41 percent and German DAX 30 index dropping 0.15 percent. French CAC 40 Index gained 0.34 percent and London's FTSE 100 Index rose 0.52 percent. In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.17 percent, China's Shanghai Composite Index climbed 0.63 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped 0.60 percent and India's BSE Sensex rose 0.12 percent.

Analysts at Gabelli downgraded

from Buy to Hold. AutoZone shares rose 0.20 percent to $689.80 in pre-market trading.