Investing.com - U.S. stock futures were sharply higher on Thursday, as hopes that Greece’s private creditors were about to sign off on a long awaited debt swap deal supported market sentiment.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.79%, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.91% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.78% gain.
Prospects for a successful Greek deal rose after a group of major banks and funds said they would take part in the swap. As of late Wednesday, about 52% of the EUR206 billion bonds up for restructuring had been pledged.
A positive outcome should clear the way for a bailout package and help Greece avert a messy debt default.
Sentiment was also boosted by data showing that German industrial production rebounded in January after a steep drop the previous month, climbing 1.6%, surpassing expectations for a 1.1% increase.
Tech stocks were expected to be active as Apple launched its latest iPad, which sports a crisper display and an array of technology advances. Apple shares added 0.45% in pre-market trade, while rival Amazon.com rose 0.61%.
Meanwhile, Dell saw shares advance 0.29% in after hour trade after the company said it is developing a business-friendly tablet that works with Windows 8, with hopes of drawing customers away from the iPad.
Elsewhere, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, forecast heavier drinking this year in the United States and Brazil, its two main markets, after quarterly earnings were boosted by price hikes and cost cutting.
Auto makers were also slated to be in focus as General Motors chief executive Dan Akerson said it may be two years before its European division is back in profit as the continent sheds over-capacity the same way the U.S. industry had to over the past half-decade. Shares were up 0.43% in after hour trade.
Other stocks in focus included programmable chipmaker Altera Corp, due to release its first-quarter earnings after forecasting weak revenue on soft demand in its biggest markets, underscoring concerns about a shaky rebound in the semiconductor industry.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were sharply higher. The EURO STOXX 50 jumped 1.80%, France’s CAC 40 surged 2.08%, Germany's DAX climbed 2.15%, while Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 1.37%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce government data on initial jobless claims.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.79%, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.91% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.78% gain.
Prospects for a successful Greek deal rose after a group of major banks and funds said they would take part in the swap. As of late Wednesday, about 52% of the EUR206 billion bonds up for restructuring had been pledged.
A positive outcome should clear the way for a bailout package and help Greece avert a messy debt default.
Sentiment was also boosted by data showing that German industrial production rebounded in January after a steep drop the previous month, climbing 1.6%, surpassing expectations for a 1.1% increase.
Tech stocks were expected to be active as Apple launched its latest iPad, which sports a crisper display and an array of technology advances. Apple shares added 0.45% in pre-market trade, while rival Amazon.com rose 0.61%.
Meanwhile, Dell saw shares advance 0.29% in after hour trade after the company said it is developing a business-friendly tablet that works with Windows 8, with hopes of drawing customers away from the iPad.
Elsewhere, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, forecast heavier drinking this year in the United States and Brazil, its two main markets, after quarterly earnings were boosted by price hikes and cost cutting.
Auto makers were also slated to be in focus as General Motors chief executive Dan Akerson said it may be two years before its European division is back in profit as the continent sheds over-capacity the same way the U.S. industry had to over the past half-decade. Shares were up 0.43% in after hour trade.
Other stocks in focus included programmable chipmaker Altera Corp, due to release its first-quarter earnings after forecasting weak revenue on soft demand in its biggest markets, underscoring concerns about a shaky rebound in the semiconductor industry.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were sharply higher. The EURO STOXX 50 jumped 1.80%, France’s CAC 40 surged 2.08%, Germany's DAX climbed 2.15%, while Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 1.37%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce government data on initial jobless claims.