There are reports a U.S.-China meeting could be pushed back again
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are pointed modestly lower this morning, under pressure once more from embattled blue chip Boeing (BA). Shares of the aerospace stock are down 2.5% ahead of the bell after The Wall Street Journal reported that Department of Transportation (DOT) officials and federal prosecutors are probing the development of Boeing's 737 MAX jetliners, with the DOT inspector generalsaid to be looking into the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval of the jet's anti-stall system.
Futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are cautiously higher, though. Investors are eyeing the latest U.S.-China trade news this morning, after a weekend report in the South China Morning Post suggested that talks between the two countries could be pushed back to June from April.
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The economic calendar kicks off this weekwith the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) housing market index. The earnings docket features Lumber Liquidators (LL) and Tilray (TLRY).
It was a positive session for Asian equities, as investors look forward to the Fed meeting in the U.S. and new developments on trade talks. China's Shanghai Composite posted a solid 2.5% gain, bolstered by a strong day from consumer staples stocks. Hong Kong's Hang Seng also rallied, adding 1.4%. In Japan, the Nikkei rose 0.6%, boosted by gains from SoftBank and Nintendo, while South Korea's Kospi ticked up 0.2%.
The performance from European benchmarks is so far less impressive, despite sharp gains from banking giants Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, which confirmed recent speculation about merger conversations. Traders are also considering trade data that showed the European Union's (EU) surplus with the U.S. grew in January. Against this backdrop, London's FTSE 100 is up 0.6%, France's CAC 40 is flat, and Germany's DAX is down 0.2%.