Morning Wire -- US Stock-Index Futures Higher

US index futures higher this morning following an announcement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it wants to add $500 billion to its existing $385 billion lending capability. The IMF expects a lending gap of $1 trillion in the next two years and wants the new lending capability in order to fill that gap. Separately, the World Bank lowered its global economic growth forecast for 2012 from 3.6% to 2.5%, and cut the US growth forecast from 2.9% to 2.2%. But Greece’s deal with private investors appear to be nearing completion on terms more favorable to Greece than had previously been expected.

At about 8:15 a.m. ET, Germany’s DAX is up 0.45% at 6,361.74 and France’s CAC 40 is up 0.08%, at 3,272.49. In London, the FTSE 100 is up 0.10%, at 5,699.92.

In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed up 0.30%, at 19,686.90. The Nikkei index closed up 0.99%, at 8,550.58, and the Shanghai index closed down -1.39%, at 2,266.38.

Dow futures are up 0.19%, at 12,443.00. The Nasdaq 100 is up 0.38%, at 2,398.75 and the S&P is up 0.25%, at 1,292.50.

In the currency markets, the US dollar is weaker against the euro, the British pound and the Japanese yen. The US dollar index is down -0.428% at 80.767.

In commodities, WTI and Brent crude are higher this morning, with WTI up 0.79% at $101.51/barrel and Brent up 0.52% at $112.11/barrel. Gold is fractionally lower this morning, at $1,655.20/ounce.

Paul Ausick