FYI: U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher Friday morning, putting the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P on the brink of registering all-time record highs.
At around 05:30 a.m. ET, Dow futures rose 68 points, indicating a positive open of more than 75 points. Futures on the S&P and Nasdaq were both marginally higher.
The Dow is looking to surpass an intraday record high of 27,398.68, while the S&P 500 is closing in on its previous record of 3,027.98 points. Each index finished the previous session only slightly higher, short of their respective records.
• Some Asian markets closed for holiday
• European bank shares gain
Global markets ticked higher Friday as investors digested news of fresh stimulus from the European Central Bank and signs that the deadlock in U.S.-China trade talks could be broken.
The Stoxx Europe 600 edged up 0.1% in morning trade. The relative quiet came after a volatile day for European stocks on Thursday, when the ECB unveiled a long-awaited package of stimulus measures, including an interest-rate cut and a renewed program of bond purchases, known as quantitative easing.
In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rallied 1% and Japan’s Nikkei was up 1.1%. Markets in China, Korea and Taiwan were closed for a holiday.
Among the biggest gainers in Europe on Friday were Italy’s Unione di Banche Italiane, known as UBI Banca , which was up 2.8% and Germany’s Commerzbank , which gained 3.3%.
he yield on U.S. 10-year Treasurys rose to 1.802%, from 1.789% on Thursday.
In currencies, the British pound climbed 0.6% against the U.S. dollar, a day after local papers reported that Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party had suggested it would accept Northern Ireland keeping some European Union rules in place after Brexit, which could ease a major sticking point in the Brexit negotiations.
The WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the currency against a basket of its peers, slipped 0.2%.
Later in the day, markets will be watching for fresh retail sales data from the U.S., as well as a measure of consumer confidence.
Regards,
Ted
WSJ:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-edge-up-on-stimulus-trade-hopes-11568362969Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-12/asia-stock-futures-edge-higher-treasuries-slip-markets-wrap?srnd=premiumIBD:
https://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/dow-jones-futures-rise-slightly-trump-interim-china-trade-deal-broadcom-stock-market-rally/CNBC::
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/13/stock-markets-dow-sp-500-close-to-all-time-highs-on-wall-street.htmlReuters:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china/trump-favors-whole-deal-with-china-two-sides-prepare-for-trade-talks-idUKKCN1VX0NJU.K.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-stocks/banks-bring-gains-for-ftse-100-exporters-weigh-idUKKCN1VY0LPEurope:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-stocks/european-stocks-head-for-fourth-week-of-gains-post-ecb-idUSKCN1VY0L0Asia:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-gain-as-trade-tensions-ease-further-2019-09-12/printBonds:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/13/us-treasury-yields-mixed-after-ecb-cuts-rates.htmlCurrencies:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/13/forex-markets-federal-reserve-bank-of-japan-in-focus.htmlOil:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/13/oil-markets-us-china-trade-war-in-focus.htmlGold:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/13/gold-markets-us-china-trade-relations-in-focus.htmlCuirrent Futures:
https://finviz.com/futures.ashx 
