U.S. stock index futures rose today on hopes that Beijing could stem the rout in its markets and ahead of a statement from the U.S. Federal Reserve that could give clues regarding the timing of a rate hike.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.2 percent to 2,091.75, while those for the Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on 0.3 percent to 17,593. Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.3 percent to 4,567.50.
Chinese stocks mostly closed higher today, with the Shanghai Composite up 3.4 percent and recovering partly from Monday’s 8.5 percent slide that helped spark a global selloff.
The Fed’s two-day policy meeting ends today and the central bank will release its policy statement at 2 p.m. The Fed isn’t expected to raise short-term interest rates today. However, officials could offer hints about the timing of such a move by tweaking their description of the economy and whether it is approaching their goals.
MOVERS:
Citrix Systems (NASDAQ:CTXS) jumped 4.6 percent after the software company’s adjusted quarterly profit and revenue topped expectations. Citrix also announced the retirement of its long time chief executive, Mark Templeton.
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) rose 3.5 percent after the biotech company posted adjusted quarterly profit and revenue that beat forecasts.
Altria Group (NYSE:MO) advanced 1 percent after posting better-than-expected quarterly results before the open.
Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) fell 11 percent premarket after its earnings report, with investors focusing on the social-media company’s disappointing user growth.
Yelp (NYSE:YELP) dived 22.2 percent after a quarterly report that dismayed investors.
Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:AKAM) tumbled 7 percent after the online content distributor forecast third-quarter revenue and profit below estimates.
Anthem (NYSE:ANTM) added 1.1 percent after the health benefit company said its revenue rose 8.4 percent in its second quarter, beating expectations, and the insurer bumped up its full-year guidance for medical enrollment growth.
COMMODITIES:
U.S. crude for September delivery last traded at $47.75 a barrel, down $0.23 on the day.
Spot gold was up 0.1 percent at $1,096.00 an ounce, while U.S. gold for August delivery was down 0.1 percent at $1,095.10 an ounce.