Dow Futures are Soaring; Nasdaq Takes Aim at 5K

It's poised to be another volatile day on the Street -- this time to the upside -- with futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) up triple digits ahead of the bell. The week's big price moves were stoked by the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) two-day policy-setting meeting, so it seems only fitting that the week will conclude with a pair of speeches from Fed officials. Specifically, Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans are slated to take the podium later this morning. Elsewhere, the S&P 500 Index (SPX) is also signaling a higher start, while the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) could once again take aim at the highly watched 5,000 mark. Additionally, all three indexes are poised for healthy weekly gains.

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Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are roughly 119 points above fair value.

Market Statistics

The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 987,129 call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 583,905 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio dropped to 0.59, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.64.

Currencies and Commodities

• The U.S. dollar index is down 0.3% at 98.95.
• Crude oil is poised for a second straight day of losses, off 1.2% at $44.98 per barrel.
• Elsewhere, gold is up 0.3% at $1,172.30 per ounce.

Earnings and Economic Data

There are no economic reports slated for release today, but Fed officials Dennis Lockhart and Charles Evans will speak. Darden Restaurants (DRI), KB Home (KBH), and Tiffany (TIF) will unveil earnings. To see what is coming up on next week's agenda, click here.

Overseas Trading

Asian markets ended the week on a mixed note. On the plus side, China's Shanghai Composite surged 1%, amid a rally in financial stocks, while Japan's Nikkei added 0.4%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng, however, snapped its two-day winning streak to finish 0.4% lower, while South Korea's Kospi settled down 0.03%.

European benchmarks are higher at midday, as traders express optimism that Greece will hammer out a new economic reform agenda. At last check, the German DAX is up 1%, the French CAC 40 is enjoying a 0.2% lead, and London's FTSE 100 has tacked on 0.1%.

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