Global markets mixed after Japan GDP
Evan McDaniel | evan.mcdaniel@optionmonster.com
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Weak economic numbers from Japan pressured global markets overnight, but U.S. futures have turned positive territory in the last hour.
Front-month S&P 500 futures are up 0.50 points to 1403 at the time of this writing. Nasdaq 100 contracts are higher by 2 points to 2723.25.
European indexes are mixed, with the U.K. FTSE 100 off 0.03 percent and the German DAX higher by 0.44 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 declined 0.07 percent but the Topix is higher by 0.02 after the nation reported annualized GDP of 1.4 percent, far short of the 2.3 percent consensus forecast. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed lower by 0.27 percent.
Currency markets are favoring the euro this morning, with the euro/dollar up 0.52 percent to 1.2361, while the U.S. Dollar Index lower by 0.33 percent to 82.34. The strength in the euro is helping lift oil futures 1.06 percent to 93.83, a gain of 0.96 points.
Copper futures are down 0.53 percent to 3.3745. Spot gold prices are up 0.22 percent, or 3.60 points, to 1626.40.
Shares of Google are up 1.25 percent to $650 after the company announced that it will lay off 4,000 workers in its Motorola Mobility unit.
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