A Peek Into The Markets: U.S. Stock Futures Signal Higher Start On Wall Street

Pre-open movers

U.S. stock futures traded higher in early pre-market trade. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 31 points to 18,485.00, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures gained 4 points to 2,180.75. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index rose 12.25 points to 4,795.25.

Oil prices traded higher as Brent crude futures gained 1.42 percent to trade at $44.90 per barrel, while US WTI crude futures also rose 1.51 percent to trade at $42.43 a barrel.

A Peek Into Global Markets

European markets were mostly higher today, with the Spanish Ibex Index surging 0.78 percent, STOXX Europe 600 Index rising 0.23 percent and German DAX 30 index gaining 0.96 percent. The UK's FTSE index was trading lower by 0.06 percent, while French CAC 40 Index climbed 0.43 percent.

In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 2.44 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 1.57 percent, China’s Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.93 percent and India’s BSE Sensex rose 0.37 percent.

Broker Recommendation

Analysts at Citigroup downgraded JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM from Buy to Neutral.

JPMorgan shares fell 0.27 percent to $66.12 in pre-market trading.

Breaking news

• Tyson Foods, Inc. TSN announced better-than-expected earnings for the latest quarter.



• Pfenex Inc. PFNX announced today positive immunogenicity and safety data from the Day 70 analysis of the Px563L anthrax vaccine study.



• Steinhoff International Holdings NV announced plans to buy Mattress Firm Holding Corp MFRM for $3.8 billion, including debt.



• Allergan plc AGN posted better-than-expected earnings for its second quarter, but sales missed analysts’ estimates.