US index futures are higher this morning as European and Asian markets have all responded favorably to recent earnings announcements for US companies like Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), and Ebay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY). Prospects for a growing US economy have raised investors’ appetite for equities. China’s possible easing of its capital reserve requirements for banks is also providing a boost. The single piece of bad news is the bankruptcy filing by Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK), but that has long been expected.
At about 8:30 a.m. ET, Germany’s DAX is up 0.64% at 6,395.41 and France’s CAC 40 is up 1.44%, at 3,311.85. In London, the FTSE 100 is up 0.49%, at 5,730.38.
In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed up 1.30%, at 19,942.90. The Nikkei index closed up 1.04%, at 8,639.68, and the Shanghai index closed up 1.31%, at 2,296.07.
Dow futures are up 0.34%, at 12,547.00. The Nasdaq 100 is up 0.42%, at 2,430.75 and the S&P is up 0.43%, at 1,307.80.
In the currency markets, the US dollar is weaker against the euro and the British pound and higher versus the Japanese yen. The US dollar index is down -0.299% at 80.242.
In commodities, WTI and Brent crude are higher this morning, with WTI up 1.21% at $101.81/barrel and Brent up 0.78% at $111.52/barrel. Gold is up 0.13% this morning, at $1,662.00/ounce.
Paul Ausick
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