A Peek Into The Markets: US Stock Futures Signal Higher Start On Wall Street

Pre-open movers

U.S. stock futures traded higher early pre-market trade. The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for July is schedule for release at 8:30 a.m. ET, while the Dallas Fed manufacturing index for August will be released at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 84 points to 25,877.00, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures traded rose 7.30 points to 2,883.75. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index surged 27.50 points to 7,524.00.

Oil prices traded lower as Brent crude futures fell 0.50 percent to trade at $75.44 per barrel, while US WTI crude futures dropped 0.51 percent to trade at $68.37 a barrel.

A Peek Into Global Markets

European markets were higher today, with the Spanish Ibex Index rising 0.28 percent, STOXX Europe 600 Index surging 0.26 percent and German DAX 30 index gaining 0.56 percent. The UK's FTSE index was trading higher by 0.19 percent, while French CAC 40 Index rose 0.44 percent.

In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.88 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 2.17 percent, China’s Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.89 percent and India’s BSE Sensex jumped 1.16 percent.

Broker Recommendation

Analysts at Wedbush downgraded American Eagle Outfitters AEO from Outperform to Neutral.

American Eagle shares fell 0.77 percent to $28.19 in pre-market trading.

Breaking News

• Wright Medical Group NV WMGI agreed to acquire Cartiva, Inc. for $435 million in cash and raised its FY18 sales guidance.
• American Woodmark Corporation AMWD reported better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter.
• AbbVie Inc ABBV reported the FDA approval of IMBRUVICA plus rituximab as first chemotherapy-free combo treatment in adults with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.
• Eclipse Resources Corp ECR announced plans to merge with Blue Ridge Mountain Resources Inc in an all-stock merger.