Stock Futures Pare Losses Amid New Vaccine Data

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) are heading into their Friday session modestly in the red, off roughly 70 points below fair value. Futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) are also looking at losses this morning, while Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures are pointed lower as well, even as investors cling to Big Tech amid the alarming resurgence in coronavirus cases. However, as the opening bell nears, stock futures have pared their losses after Gilead Sciences (GILD) reported that its coronavirus vaccine remdesivir significantly reduces mortality risk.

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

• Options bulls are betting on another takeoff for Virgin Galactic stock soon. 
• Why HALO looks ready to shine even brighter. 
• Plus, Hawaiian Holdings give bleak update; and 2 FAANG names getting bullish analyst attention. 

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.57 million call contracts traded on Thursday, and 693,231 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio rose to 0.44, and the 21-day moving average stayed at 0.52. 
2. Airline name Hawaiian Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ:HA) said this morning that its operating losses amid the pandemic have been significant, warning that it will likely have to cut jobs based on its 2021 flight schedule. At last check, HA is down 0.7% at $12.73 before the open, and is staring at a 56% deficit in 2020.
3. Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) is bucking this morning's broad-market selloff, up 1.8% in electronic trading, after a price-target hike from Goldman Sachs to $670 from $540. The analyst also reaffirmed its "conviction buy" rating, citing an impressive second-quarter earnings report, which included at least 12.5 million net subscriber additions. Netflix stock is set to hurtle past yesterday's record high of $510.
4. FAANG peer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is also getting some analyst attention this morning in the form of a price-target hike from Citigroup to a Street-high $3,550 -- an 11.5% premium to last night's close. Citigroup forecast AMZN's share in the U.S. market to reach 43% by 2022, estimating a 28% market share increase between 2015 and 2019. Despite the bull note, AMZN is flat this morning before the open, but scored a record high of $3,193.88 yesterday. 
5. The most recent producer price index (PPI) will be released today.

Fading Hopes of Economic Recovery Pushes Asian Stocks Lower; European Markets Attempt Comeback

Stocks in Asia closed lower for Friday’s session, after Wall Street retreated on fears economic recovery might fade as coronavirus cases increase in the U.S. and other parts of the world. The Shanghai Composite dropped 2%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 1.8% lower. Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively.

European stocks are attempting to finish the week higher, despite continued concerns over the spread of coronavirus. At last check, the German DAX was up 0.5%, London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.5%, and France’s CAC 40 was up 0.3%, propped up by fresh industrial production data.