Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:
1. Chinese index down over 6%
1. Chinese index down over 6%
The benchmark Shanghai Composite index plummeted 6.4% on Thursday, snuffing out a recent recovery rally in brutal fashion. Now losses for this year are close to 23%.
2016 has been rocky for Chinese markets. The government just sacked the head of its stock market regulator, the yuan has struggled against the dollar, and investors have been pulling billions of dollars out of the country.
Sharp falls in Chinese stock markets in early January helped fuel a wave of selling around the globe. There's little direct correlation between China's markets and its economy but concerns remain about how fast growth is slowing.
2. Just stay calm
2. Just stay calm
U.S. stock futures are looking soft on Thursday but investors aren't panicking after China's falls.
Oil prices are dipping by about 1.5% to trade around $31.50 per barrel.
European stock markets are posting healthy gains in early trading, with many indexes jumping by more than 1%.
Shares in Lloyds Banking Group (LYG) in London are surging by about 10% after the bank announced it was hiking its dividend. Lloyds is leading the benchmark FTSE 100 index higher.
Asian markets outside China ended the day with mixed results.
3. Apple is not giving up
3. Apple is not giving up
Apple chief Tim Cook on Wednesday said that complying with a court order to help the FBI break into an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters would be "bad for America," and set a legal precedent that would offend many Americans.
"Some things are hard, and some things are right, and some things are both - this is one of those things," Cook told ABC News in his first interview since the court order came down last week. He added that the government was asking for "the software equivalent of cancer" and that he planned to talk to President Barack Obama directly about getting the dispute "on a better path."
4. Earnings and economics and recap
4. Earnings and economics and recap
Investors will be parsing through quarterly results from a range of companies this morning, including Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIF), British American Tobacco (BTI), Best Buy (BBY), Campbell Soup (CPB), Gogo (GOGO), Kohl's (KSS) and SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS).
After the closing bell, we'll hear from Kraft Heinz (KHC), Gap (GPS), Baidu (BIDU, Tech30) and Weight Watchers (WTW).
The Dow Jones industrial average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq shot up Monday, dropped Tuesday and then posted a modest recovery on Wednesday.
