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Cheers! A mega beer deal is brewing and global markets are rising.

Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) You can drink to that

SABMiller (SBMRY) shares are surging by about 18% in London after the global beer giant revealed that competitor Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIF) is planning to make a takeover offer.

These are the two biggest beer companies in the world, based on the volume of drinks they sell. Their combined market capitalization is about $270 billion.

Shares in AB InBev are also up about 8%.

2) Waiting on the Fed

Traders continue to chatter excitedly about the Federal Reserve meeting, which begins today and ends Thursday. Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen will announce on Thursday afternoon whether the Fed will hike interest rates.

"Markets currently think there is around a one in three chance that the Fed will hike rates this week," said Larry Hatheway, chief economist at investment firm GAM. "Clearly, the China slowdown and resulting market tumult has led the majority of investors to conclude that the Fed will not raise rates this month."

The Fed has been warning for months that a rate rise was in the cards, but many expect it will be delayed until a meeting in December.

3) Stock market overview

U.S. stock futures are holding steady, but there's excitement overseas, helped by the beer merger talk.

Many European stock markets are rising by about 1% in early trade after Asian markets closed the day with a breathtaking surge.

The benchmark stock index in Shanghai rose by nearly 5% and the Shenzhen index shot up by 6.5%.

International markets are rallying following a positive Tuesday in the U.S. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 1.4%, the S&P 500 added 1.3% and the Nasdaq jumped by 1.1%.

As it stands now, U.S. stock indexes are all in positive territory for the month. 

4) Potential market mover

HP, Xerox, FedEx: Shares in Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Tech30) will likely see higher-than-normal trading volume Wednesday after the firm announced plans to cut another 25,000 to 30,000 jobs. This is the latest dramatic downsizing at the once-iconic tech company.

Meanwhile, shares in competitor Xerox (XRX) are jumping premarket, though trading volume is light.

We could also see significant moves from FedEx (FDX) and Cracker Barrel (CBRL), which are reporting earnings ahead of the open.

Oracle (ORCL, Tech30) will report quarterly results after the close.

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Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) A rate rise?

Traders across the U.S. and overseas are monitoring the Fed closely as its monetary policy committee prepares to announce its biggest decision in a long time. The Fed must decide whether the U.S. economy is healthy enough for the first interest rate hike in nearly a decade.

The decision could have far-reaching ramifications on stocks, currencies, bonds, mortgages and even car loans.

Expect the news at 2 p.m. ET, and brace for a swift market reaction.

A chorus of influential voices, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, have called on the Fed not to raise rates just yet. Others say it's high time to end the uncertainty.

"The fact that there is uncertainty -- not just in markets (where it is to be expected) but amongst economists -- is a signal that the Fed's attempts at policy transparency have been less than successful," said Paul Donovan, a senior economist at UBS.

2) Stock market overview

U.S. stock futures are dipping down following a two-day rally, partly fueled by expectations that the Fed won't move this month.

European markets are mostly heading lower in early trading, while Asian markets ended with mixed results.

3) Market movers - Cablevision, Expedia, Orbitz, Air Products, Oracle

Shares in Cablevision (CVC) are up about 16% premarket after the cable operator announced it is being bought by Altice (ATCEY), a European telecommunications company.

Altice has agreed to pay $34.90 a share for Cablevision, making the deal worth $17.7 billion including debt. The price represents a 22% premium over Cablevision's closing price Wednesday.

Shares in Expedia (EXPE) and Orbitz (OWW) look set to pop at the open after the companies got clearance from the U.S. Justice Department to go ahead with their merger.

Regulators had been concerned that combining two of the largest search sites for cheap hotel and rental car rates would violate antitrust law.

Shares in Air Products and Chemicals (APD) are up about 3% in extended trading after the company said it will spin off its material technology unit in a tax-free deal.

Oracle (ORCL, Tech30) shares look set to dip when trading begins after the company reported earnings on Wednesday evening.

4) Earnings and economics

Soccer powerhouse Manchester United (MANU) is reporting earnings ahead of the open along with Rite Aid (RAD) and Marcus (MCS).

Adobe (ADBE) will report this afternoon.

On the economic front, the Department of Labor will release its weekly jobless claims report at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Also at 8:30 a.m., expect the August report on home construction from the Census Bureau.

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Stock market losses in China are dragging down sentiment across the globe again.

U.S. stock futures are dipping and most Asian and European indexes are in the red.

Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) Fragile China

Chinese stocks suffered another round of heavy losses on Tuesday, renewing concerns over government efforts to support markets.

The Shanghai Composite shed 3.5% on Tuesday, bringing losses for the week to 6%. Declines have been even steeper on the smaller Shenzhen Composite, which has lost more than 11% over the past two trading sessions.

"Further weak data from China and the continual uncertainty over when the Federal Reserve will begin raising U.S. interest rates has encouraged the markets to begin the week under pressure once again," noted research analyst Lukman Otunuga at currency broker FXTM.

The Nikkei 225 in Japan was one of the few indexes to edge higher Tuesday, gaining 0.3%. 

2) Fed chatter

An interest rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve is still a couple of days away. But analysts can't stop talking about it.

"The question everyone wants answered is, are we finally at the end of the period of ultra low interest rates?" said James Penn, a senior portfolio manager at Thomas Miller Investment in the U.K.

The first rise in U.S. interest rates in nearly a decade would ripple through markets around the world. The Fed decision will be announced on Thursday. 

3) Economics

The Census Bureau is releasing updated U.S. retail sales data for August at 8:30 a.m. ET. Retail sales increased 0.6% in July. 

4) Monday market recap

Stocks took a dip Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 each shed 0.4%, and the Nasdaq lost 0.3%.

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It’s the Fed week.

Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) Markets on hold

U.S. stock futures are pointing up, but the gains are muted -- as are global markets -- as investors wait for this week's Federal Reserve meeting. European markets are narrowly firmer in early trading, and Asian markets ended mixed: Hong Kong and India advanced but stocks in Japan and China fell back.

Shares in ARM Holdings (ARMH, Tech30) -- a British company that designs the chips that power iPhones and smartphones -- are rising by about 3% in London.

2) A chill from China

Chinese markets took another tumble Monday after the release of weak industrial production and investment data. Still, economists do not expect growth to slow sharply this year -- they estimate expansion of 6.9% for 2015, very close to the official 7% target. The Shenzhen index dropped by 6.7% and the Shanghai Composite declined by 2.7%.

3) Fed countdown

Analysts and economists are eagerly awaiting the upcoming meeting of Federal Reserve members on Wednesday and Thursday. A decision on interest rates will come out Thursday and is sure to have an immediate impact on the markets.

"The decision itself is arguably more important for the markets than anything else we've seen so far in 2015," said Angus Campbell, senior analyst at FxPro.

"There is still a minority that is of the view that the [Fed] will announce a [rate] hike this Thursday, but it's hard to see how a hike now will help investors given all that the financial markets have been though in the past few weeks, in particular emerging markets." 

4) Weekly market recap

The last week was generally positive and Friday ended on a high note. The Dow Jones industrial average ticked up 0.6% Friday, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq each gained 0.5%.

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The week got off to a roaring start, but markets look set to end it with a whimper.

Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) Happy Friday?

There's a generally negative mood in the markets right now.

U.S. stock futures are edging down and European markets are dipping in early trading. Asian markets closed with mixed results.

This comes after stock markets soared Tuesday when U.S. traders returned from the Labor Day long weekend.

2) Oil falls again

In commodities, crude oil futures are dipping by about 2% to trade around $45 per barrel. The chances of another slump in prices to near $20 per barrel are rising, Goldman Sachs said in a new report Friday. But the supply glut should ease in 2016 as OPEC's rivals -- and in particular the U.S. -- slash production, the International Energy Agency said.

3) Earnings and economics

A few companies will open their earnings books before Friday trading begins. Mattress Firm (MFRM) and Kroger (KR) are among them.

On the economic side, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its producer price index for August at 8:30 a.m. ET. This index is a key inflation indicator. Prices were up 0.2% in July.

Then, at 10 a.m. ET, the University of Michigan will put out September's consumer sentiment index.

4) Russian rates

Russia's central bank is set to make a decision on interest rates at around 6:30 a.m. ET. The benchmark interest rate is currently set at 11% and has come down from a recent high of 17%.

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U.S. stocks look set to nudge higher at the open. But most markets around the world are trading in negative territory.

Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:

1) Time to settle down

Global stock markets seem to be settling down a bit after weeks of extreme volatility.

As it stands now, U.S. stock futures are pointing up, but not by much.

Most European markets are dipping in early trading. Asian markets mostly closed with losses that ranged from about 1% to 2.5%.

That may seem like a lot, but it's relatively muted compared to recent swings. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday that the economy is "running within the proper range," and insisted Beijing would never start a currency war.

On the foreign exchange market, the Japanese yen is weakening versus most other major currencies. The Aussie dollar is strengthening.

2) Potential market mover

Apple: America's biggest company -- Apple (AAPL, Tech30) -- is still in the spotlight Thursday after unveiling a range of new products on Wednesday, including the iPhone 6S, Apple TV and iPad Pro.

Shares in the tech giant are rebounding a bit in premarket trading after declining by nearly 2% Wednesday. Be ready for higher-than-normal trading volume.

3) Earnings and economics

Lululemon (LULU) is among a small crop of companies reporting earnings before the market opens.

Zumiez (ZUMZ) and Restoration Hardware (RH) will report after the close.

The federal government will report weekly jobless claims data at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Then at 10:30 a.m. the U.S. will release new data on natural gas inventories. Information on crude oil inventories will come out at 11 a.m.

4) Wednesday market recap

The previous trading session started with gains, but ended with losses. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 1.5%, the S&P 500 dipped 1.4% and the Nasdaq lost 1.2%.

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