Stock Futures Higher After Strong Jobs Report

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are trading more than 200 points above fair value this morning. The jobs report for December is the top story on Wall Street, after the U.S. economy added 312,000 jobs last month, torching estimates of 176,000. Moreover, wages increased by the most since 2009, though the unemployment rate did tick back up to 3.9%.

Meanwhile, traders are also monitoring fresh headlines on the trade front, with China saying it will hold talks with the U.S. next week. The tech sector should remain in focus, too, as this group signals strength following yesterday's Apple-led sell-off. Elsewhere, Wall Street is awaiting a speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

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

• Why you may want to take profits on this pharma stock.
• The airline stock that had its worst day in six years.
• Options traders were betting on a top for Apple victim STM.
• Plus, 2 stocks Goldman Sachs is buying; and more pain for Apple suppliers.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 855,141 call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 622,457 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio moved up to 0.73, and the 21-day moving average ticked up to 0.74.
2. Goldman Sachs became the latest firm to update its view on FAANG stock Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), adding the streaming giant to its "conviction list," saying it's among the best risk/reward plays in the internet space. Conversely, Canaccord Genuity dropped its NFLX price target down to $400 from $470.
3. Still hanging near a historically bullish trendline, Etsy Inc (NASDAQ:ETSY) just received an upgrade to "buy" from "neutral" at Goldman Sachs. ETSY shares are pointing to a 4% spike at the open, as a result.
4. Apple suppliers will remain in the spotlight after the pain felt throughout the group yesterday. One name we continue to monitor is Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:SWKS), a name that typically does well in the first quarter. However, SWKS touched fresh lows yesterday, and was hit with more bearish analyst attention this morning, including a downgrade to "neutral" from "buy" at Nomura.
5. Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic will also speak today. AngioDynamics (ANGO) and Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) will enter the earnings confessional. The focus of next week's trading calendar will be the release of the Fed's meeting minutes.

Trade Hopes Help Asian Equities

Asian stocks bounced back on confirmation trade talks between Washington and Beijing will occur next week, while data showed growth in China's services sector ticked modestly higher in December. This follows a round of relatively weak manufacturing reports from the mainland, sending China's Shanghai Composite up 2.1%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 2.2%, and South Korea's Kospi tacked on 0.8%. Japan's Nikkei reopened to sharp selling on its first trading day of 2019, though, tumbling 2.3%.

Positive headlines out of China and stabilizing oil prices are boosting European benchmarks at midday, with auto stocks some of the day's biggest gainers. This is offsetting a batch of lackluster economic data, with IHS Markit's final composite purchasing managers index (PMI) for the eurozone edging lower last month, and consumer prices in December rising less than expected. At last check, the German DAX is up 1.7%, while the French CAC 40 and London's FTSE 100 are boasting 1.2% gains.