(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors) U.S. stock futures were higher today as investors cheered news of ’s comprehensive restructuring plan including a sale of the bulk of its financial business and a hefty stock repurchase initiative.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2 percent to 17923 while those for the S&P 500 index added 0.2 percent to 2089. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index were basically flat at 4400.
U.S. stocks were on track to close out the week in positive territory.
DATA/SPEECHES:
The prices the U.S. paid for imported goods fell in March reflecting in part a stronger dollar that makes foreign goods cheaper. The import price index declined by a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent last month higher than the 0.2 percent increase expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch.
The ICE U.S. Dollar Index a key measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six currencies rose 0.3 percent to 99.35.
Richmond Bank President Jeffrey Lacker is scheduled to speak in Sarasota Florida at 8:45 a.m. Minutes released Wednesday from the Fed’s latest meeting showed officials were split on whether they would raise interest rates in June.
The Federal budget for March comes out at 2 p.m. Eastern.
MOVERS:
() jumped 7.5 percent to $25.73 after the conglomerate said it would sell the bulk of GE Capital and launch a $50 billion stock buyback.
() fell 0.4 percent premarket as the world’s largest technology company started its online pre-order period for the Watch. Starting on April 24 the watch will also be available at stores in big cities including Colette in Paris Street Market in London Tokyo Maxfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin.
() gained 2.4 percent after Citigroup upgraded shares to “buy” from “neutral” in part citing improvement in recently released content and content line-up for the rest of this year.
() fell 6.3% in premarket trades after the software company lowered its first-quarter profit and sales outlook.
() rose as much as 0.3 percent before that bell after the restaurant chain operator reported a narrower-than-estimated loss in its fiscal third quarter as it lowered expenses and improved restaurant level margins.
OTHER MARKETS:
European stocks climbed stretching an all-time high and heading for the biggest weekly gain since January.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index advanced 0.6 percent and Germany’s DAX 30 index was on track for record closing highs.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index briefly rose above 20000 but closed almost 100 points shy of the milestone.
COMMODITIES:
West Texas Intermediate for delivery in May fell 0.3 percent to $50.13 a barrel. May Brent crude on London’s ICE Futures exchange lost 25 cents to $57.44 a barrel.
Spot gold climbed 0.8 percent to $1204.06 an ounce by 7:38 a.m. U.S. gold for June delivery was up $10.40 an ounce at $1204.00.
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