Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures Boom on Upbeat Jobs Report

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) could be on pace to erase its weekly losses today, with futures above fair value and the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report taking center stage. Specifically, 255,000 jobs were added in the month of July, compared to the 180,000 expected, while the May and June numbers were upwardly revised. Meanwhile Thursday's stimulus news from the Bank of England (BoE) continues to be a boon for most global stocks.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

• 2 Olympic sponsors presenting an options-buying bargain.
• The rumors that had Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) option bulls betting on new highs.
• Why CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) was relegated to the short-sale restricted list.
• Plus... Europe keeps the post-BoE party alive, FireEye hands out pink slips, and Priceline puts the heat on option bears.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are roughly 88 points above fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today
 

1. Stocks is Europe are higher at midday as Thurday's BoE interest rate cut continues to boost markets.
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 739,840 call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 481,424 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio climbed to 0.65, while the 21-day moving average edged lower to 0.62.
3. Cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc (NASDAQ:FEYE) is set to slide nearly 15% at the open, after the company reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue, cut its full-year sales forecast, and announced plans to lay off up to 400 workers. The news has earned FEYE a slew of negative analyst attention already this morning.
4. No fewer than 13 brokerages have increased their price targets on Priceline Group Inc (NASDAQ:PCLN), after the company reported strong second-quarter earnings and issued a current-quarter outlook in line with expectations. The shares are up 5.8% in electronic trading, which could have option bears sweating.
5. It looks like one analyst's upgrade on Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA) may have been premature, as the shares are off 6.7% ahead of the bell following the company's quarterly report. While earnings fell in line with expectations, ZNGA's current-quarter bookings forecast came up short of analysts' predictions

Earnings and Economic Data

On the economic front, July's nonfarm payrolls report and consumer credit stats will hit, as well as the international trade balance. The earnings agenda is a bit quieter, with notable earnings reports due from Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH), Virgin America (VA), and Weyerhaeuser (WY). To see what's coming up on next week's schedule, click here. 

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