Stocks Firmly Higher as Earnings Hit High Gear

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are up triple digits this morning, with S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures also sporting comfortable premarket leads. Traders are unpacking Saturday's assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump, with the Republican National Convention set to kick off in Wisconsin today. This week's slew of bank and blue-chip earnings is also in focus, while Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will speak at Economic Club of Washington later today.

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

• Options strategy to consider for earnings season.
• Looking back on Wall Street's record-setting run.
• Plus, AAPL upgraded; Goldman Sachs' earnings; and Trump Media stock surging. 

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw more than 2.3 million call contracts and 1.3 million put contracts traded on Friday. The single-session equity put/call fell to 0.57, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.67.
2. Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock is up 2.1% in premarket trading, after scoring an upgrade from Loop Capital to "buy," with the analyst in question highlighting the tech giant's artificial intelligence (AI) integration plans. What's more, the company's sales in India reportedly grew to a record $8 billion. AAPL is already up 19.7% this year.
3. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) reported a second-quarter earnings win earlier, as well as a revenue miss. Shares are up 0.1% ahead of the bell, and sport a 24.4% year-to-date lead.
4. The shares of Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (NASDAQ:DJT) are up 46.3% before the open. Some believe Trump has higher chances of winning the November election following the assassination attempt on Saturday. DJT added 76.5% so far in 2024.
5. A flood of bank earnings and economic data is due out this week.

Asian Markets Mixed on China's Economic Data

Asian markets closed Monday mixed, following economic data out of China. According to China’s statistics bureau, the country’s economy grew 4.7% in the second quarter, missing Reuters expectations of a 5.1% rise, while retail sales rose 2% year over year – lower than the anticipated 3.3% gain. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 1.5% for the day, while China’s Shanghai Composite and the South Korean Kospi rose 0.09% and 0.1%, respectively. Japan’s Nikkei was closed for holiday.

European markets are lower at last glance. London’s FTSE 100 is down 0.3%, while the French CAC 40 falls 0.6%, and the German DAX drops 0.4%.