Investing.com - U.S. stock futures pointed to a sharply higher open on Thursday, after comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi lifted sentiment and amid renewed speculation that the Federal Reserve may implement fresh easing measures.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 1% jump, S&P 500 futures signaled a 1.12% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 1.17% surge.
Sentiment found support after ECB President Draghi said earlier that the bank will do whatever is necessary to preserve the euro.
Meanwhile, disappointing U.S. housing data on Wednesday sparked fresh expectations that the Fed may implement fresh easing measures to shore up growth.
The U.S. Census Bureau said new home sales fell by 8.4% to a seasonally adjusted 350,000 units in June, compared to expectations for a decline of 2.6% to 372,000. New home sales for May were revised up to 382,000 units from a previously reported 369,000.
The data added to a string of mixed corporate results released earlier in the week, which highlighted the impact of the euro zone’s debt crisis on the U.S. economy.
Companies due to release earnings reports later Thursday included Amazon, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberly-Clark, 3M, Sprint Nextel, Starbucks, United Technologies and Exxon Mobil.
Elsewhere, Visa saw shares jump 1.47% in after-hour trade, as the company’s adjusted profit topped estimates and it raised its full-year earnings forecast for the second time this year, due to a global increase in card-based payments.
In the tech sector, United Technologies rallied 1.91% in late trading after agreeing to sell industrial businesses of its Hamilton Sundstrand subsidiary to Carlyle Group LP and BC Partners for USD3.46 billion.
On the other hand, Germany-based Siemens tumbled 4.05% in pre-market trade, after the group posted a 23% drop in quarterly new orders, steeper than expected, as the debt crisis in the euro zone weighed on investments.
Retailers were also expected to remain active, including Whole Foods Market which reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit as sales at established stores defied the softening U.S. economy, sending the grocer's shares up 11.79% in early trading.
Crocs also reported a quarterly profit that beat expectations, helped by higher gross margins and growth in Asia. In addition, the shoe maker forecast strong full-year earnings, sending shares surging 5.47% in after-hour trade.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were higher. The EURO STOXX 50 jumped 1.22%, France’s CAC 40 rallied 1.24%, Germany's DAX advanced 0.43%, while Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 0.57%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index eased up 0.2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.9%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release official data on durable goods orders and unemployment claims, followed by a report on pending home sales.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 1% jump, S&P 500 futures signaled a 1.12% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 1.17% surge.
Sentiment found support after ECB President Draghi said earlier that the bank will do whatever is necessary to preserve the euro.
Meanwhile, disappointing U.S. housing data on Wednesday sparked fresh expectations that the Fed may implement fresh easing measures to shore up growth.
The U.S. Census Bureau said new home sales fell by 8.4% to a seasonally adjusted 350,000 units in June, compared to expectations for a decline of 2.6% to 372,000. New home sales for May were revised up to 382,000 units from a previously reported 369,000.
The data added to a string of mixed corporate results released earlier in the week, which highlighted the impact of the euro zone’s debt crisis on the U.S. economy.
Companies due to release earnings reports later Thursday included Amazon, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberly-Clark, 3M, Sprint Nextel, Starbucks, United Technologies and Exxon Mobil.
Elsewhere, Visa saw shares jump 1.47% in after-hour trade, as the company’s adjusted profit topped estimates and it raised its full-year earnings forecast for the second time this year, due to a global increase in card-based payments.
In the tech sector, United Technologies rallied 1.91% in late trading after agreeing to sell industrial businesses of its Hamilton Sundstrand subsidiary to Carlyle Group LP and BC Partners for USD3.46 billion.
On the other hand, Germany-based Siemens tumbled 4.05% in pre-market trade, after the group posted a 23% drop in quarterly new orders, steeper than expected, as the debt crisis in the euro zone weighed on investments.
Retailers were also expected to remain active, including Whole Foods Market which reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit as sales at established stores defied the softening U.S. economy, sending the grocer's shares up 11.79% in early trading.
Crocs also reported a quarterly profit that beat expectations, helped by higher gross margins and growth in Asia. In addition, the shoe maker forecast strong full-year earnings, sending shares surging 5.47% in after-hour trade.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were higher. The EURO STOXX 50 jumped 1.22%, France’s CAC 40 rallied 1.24%, Germany's DAX advanced 0.43%, while Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 0.57%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index eased up 0.2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.9%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release official data on durable goods orders and unemployment claims, followed by a report on pending home sales.