Bitcoin (BTC) is nearing the $60,000 level
Stock futures are pointed confidently higher this morning, thanks to encouraging earnings reports and a surprise rise in September retail sales. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are indicating a 200-plus point pop at last check, while S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 (NDX) futures are also eyeing outsized opens.
A top-line beat from blue-chip bank giant Goldman Sachs (GS) extends the optimism of the nascent earnings season, while retail sales rose 0.7% in September, surpassing the 0.2% decline expected by analysts. Elsewhere, volatile cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) is on the upswing, last seen rocketing toward $60,000.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- How to choose the right stock for your portfolio.
- Netflix stock cools ahead of earnings next week.
- Plus, PSO's plummet; TFC's upbeat quarterly report; and MRNA's FDA buzz.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
- The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw more than 1.8 million call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 854,832 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.45, and the 21-day moving average stayed at 0.50.
- Pearson PLC (NYSE:PSO) is down 12.5% in electronic trading, after the textbook name said higher education sales have fallen 7% this year, as college enrollment decreased due to the pandemic. Year-over-year, the equity is up 35.9% coming into today.
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As bank earnings continue, Truist Financial (NYSE:TFC) is in the spotlight after its upbeat third-quarter report. The company reported earnings of $1.42 per share, well above analysts' estimated $1.21 per share, as well as better-than-expected revenue. Climbing back toward its May highs, TFC is up 1.2% pre-market.
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Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) is up 2.5% before the bell, after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommended the approval of its Covid-19 vaccine booster dose. Reclaiming support at the significant 100-day moving average yesterday, MRNA is up 217.7% year-to-date.
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Today will bring the import price index, the Empire State manufacturing index, the consumer sentiment index, and business inventories.
Stocks Higher in Europe, Asia
Asian stocks finished higher on Friday as investors eyed big gains for the Taiwan Taiex, which added 2.4% for the day after shares of Semiconductor Manufacturing Company surged on well-received earnings. In response, the Nikkei in Japan rose 1.8%, the Hong Kong Hang Seng added 1.5%, the Shanghai Composite in China was 0.4% higher, and the South Korean Kospi enjoyed a 0.9% rise.
Over in Europe, stocks are also higher as the major bourses look to the strong start of another earnings season. The London FTSE 100 is 0.2% higher, while the German DAX is up 0.4%. Meanwhile, the French CAC 40 is also up 0.4% as investors digest the country’s consumer price index, which rose 0.2% in September, and 2.7% on an annual basis.