Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:
1. Global market overview
1. Global market overview
U.S. stock futures are pushing up again. The Dow Jones industrial average and S&P 500 are trading slightly below record highs set last week.
European markets are mixed in early trading while Asian markets closed the day with mixed results.
The oil market is in focus as prices are now trading around $42 per barrel, the lowest level since mid-April.
2. Stock market movers
2. Stock market movers
Shares in Facebook are set to surge to fresh record highs this morning after the company posted a better-than-expected earnings report Wednesday evening.
The social network shattered Wall Street's lofty estimates for sales, profits, user growth and pretty much everything else you can think of with its second quarter report
Shares in Adidas are running up in Germany after the sports apparel firm raised its expectations for sales and profits in 2016. This is the fourth time the company has lifted its forecast for 2016.
Whole Foods shares are heading in the other direction -- sinking in extended trading after the grocer issued a disappointing earnings report.
3. More earnings updates
3. More earnings updates
Ford, Credit Suisse, Diageo, MasterCard, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell, New York Times, Volkswagen, Harley-Davidson, and Hershey are posting earnings updates ahead of the open.
After the close, investors will hear from Amazon, Google's parent company Alphabet, CBS, Expedia and Live Nation.
4. Gold surge 1% to hit 2-week highs
4. Gold surge 1% to hit 2-week highs
The lack of a signal from the Fed on any move in September spiked the price of gold more than 1% higher on Thursday.
The precious metal is sensitive to moves in U.S. interest rates. A gradual path to higher rates is seen as less of a threat to gold prices than a swift series of increases.
Dollar weakness also benefitted gold on Thursday as the U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, traded lower.
