- What Black Friday Shoppers Spent on – And Where
- Dubai Stocks Shed 7%, Abu Dhabi Tumbles 8%
- Regulators Compile Global List of 'Systemic Risk' Banks
- Dubai's Nakheel Seeks Suspension $5.25 Billion in Bonds
- True Cost of 12 Days of Xmas Tops $87,000
- US Senator Opposes Fed Chief Bernanke Renomination
- A Weak IPO Debut for Las Vegas Sands' Macau Unit
- Woods Has Nothing More to Say to Police: Agent
- Big US Banks May Be Forced to Raise Capital: Bove
- Dubai is Harsh Reminder of Prolonged Global Recovery
- Tiger Woods Wants to Protect Family Privacy: Agent
- Portfolio Prep for Next Week: 'Don't Get Crazy'
- U.S. Stocks Fall on Dubai Worries
- Black Friday at Best Buy
- Strategists on Dubai: Avoid 'Rash Moves' Now
- Longer Lines, Fuller Carts This Black Friday
- Dubai Stock Market Fear Has 'Legs': Dennis Gartman
- Obama's Emission Reduction Pledge Paints Future for Autos
MOST SHARED
- US Shoppers Spent Less Over Black Friday: NRF
- Tiger Woods Wants to Protect Family Privacy: Agent
- Dubai Stocks Shed 7%, Abu Dhabi Tumbles 8%
- Dubai's Nakheel Seeks Suspension $5.25 Billion in Bonds
- South Korea Sees Exports Bouncing, but Risks Remain
- Japan Won't Intervene to Weaken Yen: Finance Minister
- Dubai is Harsh Reminder of Prolonged Global Recovery
- US Senator Opposes Fed Chief Bernanke Renomination
Text Size 
Stock futures pointed to a slightly lower open for Wall Street as traders were unfazed by a report that showed import prices spiking more than 2 percent in August.
The Labor Department report attributed the gains to a jump in oil, as import prices excluding energy were up a more benign 0.4 percent.
But world stocks hit fresh 11-month highs as a weak dollar — indicating appetite for risk — and robust Chinese economic data boosted sentiment. The dollar hit its lowest level against a basked of currencies in a year.
The US government is anxious to shed stakes in financial companies but will take care not to do so too soon, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a CNBC town hall meeting.
"The classic mistake that countries make in crises is they put the brakes on too early, they reignite the recession ultimately at much greater fiscal costs and much greater damage to the economy. That's the balance we've got to get right," Geithner said.
Oil prices, a key tracker of stock movements over the six-month rally, provided little direction as US light, sweet crude [US@CL.1
Loading...
()
] was modestly lower in early trading.
Financial giant Morgan Stanley [MS
Loading...
()
] could be in focus after CEO John Thain confirmed he will be stepping down early next year. Though the move was widely expected, it likely will intensify speculation about the firm's future direction. Shares edged higher in premarket trading.
Also in financials, Goldman Sachs [C
Loading...
()
] gained 1 percent premarket as Citigroup said the firm is poised to gain market share. Citi raised and raised its earnings guidance for Goldman, citing strong capital markets activity, a drop in systemic risk and a better deal climate.
Oil services giant Schlumberger [SLB
Loading...
()
] rose 2 percent after Goldman raised its rating on the company to a "buy" and reiterated its positive view on the space.
In deal news, HSBC [HBC
Loading...
()
] has made a $1.63 billion bid for Dutch financial group ING's private banking business, Reuters said, quoting a report in The Sunday Times. Other bids are expected from DBS, a Singaporean investment fund, and Swiss wealth manager Julius Baer. American depositary shares of ING [ING
Loading...
()
] fell more than 1 percent premarket.
Also, Alcoa [AA
Loading...
()
] shares were called a bit higher premarket after the aluminum producer and Dow component said it will continue working with Chinese companies in a quest for mergers and acquisitions.
Endowments of Harvard and Yale, the richest universities in the US, lost roughly 30 percent of their value last year, illustrating how even the best managers suffered because of the crisis.
On the economic front, data on import prices excluding oil and export prices excluding agricultural products for August are due to be released at 8:30 am New York time.
Preliminary data on the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for September will be released at 9:55 am.
In earnings news, Brady [BRC
Loading...
()
] and Campbell Soup [CPB
Loading...
()
] will report results before the bell.
- These four sectors will be the next to lead the market.
- Zhu Zhu Pets are this year's must-have toy, fetching $40 or more on eBay.
- From the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that file, we present Jason Sadler, a man whose job is wearing T-shirts.
- It may be the most unusual guide to business you'll read.
- Shopping for a gadget hound? The choices can be baffling. Here are a few that should be a hit.
- "The Who" will be the halftime act for Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7 in Miami. Is the NFL behind the times?
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes