What you need to know before the US open
US stocks futures pointed to a higher opening today, following some better-than-expected corporate results.
European markets have continued to received a lift from positive earnings reports and news of mergers.
A two-day Fed policy meeting begins later today, with expectations that a decision will be taken to taper for a fourth time.
The increase in house prices slowed in February. The S&P/Case-Shiller home prices index has shown a 12.9 per cent jump in the month from a year earlier. That's slightly shy of the 13 per cent rise analysts were expecting, and the 13.2 per cent increase seen in January.
Corporate news
Barclays has announced the departure of Skip McGee from its US business. The bank’s appointing its current global head of client capital management, the aptly-named Joe Gold, as chief executive of the Americas.
Apple’s mandated Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank to manage the sale of a 30-year bond, as part of a large offering which could see it raise as much as $17bn.
And Merck & Co gained over four per cent in pre-market trading after releasing results. Reckitt Benckiner, the UK firm, said it’s in talks to buy the former’s consumer health business.
Twitter’s due to report after close of play today.
Data in focus
• 3.00pm: US April consumer confidence