Morning Wire -- US Stock-Index Futures Pointing Higher

US index futures are slightly higher this morning, with the DJIA and the S&P up and the Nasdaq flat. In Europe, markets are up sharply following a day of solid gains in US markets yesterday and expectations that today’s release of US economic indicators will underscore the US’s growth path. In Asia, markets finished higher today, thanks in large part to a weaker yen. The good news from the US and good earnings reports from the region also boosted the markets.

At about 8:15 a.m. ET, Germany’s DAX is up 1.32% at 6,841.07 and France’s CAC 40 is up 1.31%, at 3,437.75. In London, the FTSE 100 is up 0.48%, at 5,913.88.

In Asia, the Hang Seng index closed up 1.01%, at 21,491.60 and the Nikkei index closed up 1.58%, at 9,384.17. The Shanghai exchange closed up 0.01%, at 2,357.18.

Dow futures are up 0.27%, at 12,905.00. The Nasdaq 100 is flat, at 2,593.50 and the S&P is up 0.17%, at 1,357.10.

In the currency markets, the US dollar is weaker against the euro and the British pound, but stronger than the Japanese yen. The US dollar index is down 0.13% at 79.279.

In commodities, WTI and Brent crude are mixed this morning, with WTI up 0.42% at $102.74/barrel and Brent is down -0.15% at $119.93/barrel. Gold is up 0.32% this morning, at $1,733.90/ounce.

Paul Ausick