EU moves boost markets worldwide
Evan McDaniel | evan.mcdaniel@optionmonster.com
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U.S. equity futures are indicating a higher open today after European Union leaders said they will push for new measures on economic growth and lending.
The S&P 500 futures are up 4.25 points, or 0.32 percent, to 1330.50. The Nasdaq 100 futures are higher 10.25 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2545.25.
Investors in Europe also greeted the news positively. The German DAX is higher by 1.56 percent, and the Euro STOXX 50 has gained 1.7 percent.
Strength in the euro against the dollar is helping fuel the rise in U.S. stocks. The euro is trading higher by 0.17 percent against the greenback at 1.2633, well over support.
Commodity markets are reacting as expected, with crude-oil futures up 0.76 percent to 84.55 and spot gold futures higher by 7.50 points, or 0.46 percent, to 1627. Copper futures are up 1.1 percent after the 3.385 resistance level gave way to a high of 3.3975 as of this writing.
Asian indexes reflected copper's rise, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng closing higher by 2.26 percent and Japan's Nikkei 225 up 0.01 percent. U.S. industrial production figures for May, scheduled for release at 9:15 a.m. ET, will directly affect the price of copper as well as silver.
In stock-specific news, shares of U.S. banks are up across the board in pre-market trading. JP Morgan indicated higher by about 0.5 percent.
Shares of Disney also up about 0.5 percent as the company prepares to open a new car-themed amusement park today.
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