Wall Street shares are set to go higher, building on last week's gains, as traders will be met with more corporate earnings this week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average index in Friday gained 0.43%, or over 110 points to settle at 25,669, led higher by the likes of Verizon Communications Inc, Pfizer Inc, and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT).
The S&P 500 added over nine to close at 2,850, while the tech heavy Nasdaq also added nearly ten points at 7,816.
In futures trade today (Monday), the Dow Jones is up 55 points; the S&P 500 is ahead by 4.5 and the Nasdaq futures are up by nearly 22 points.
Retailers will be a big theme in the US this week, with Target (NYSE:TGT), Kohl's (NYSE: KSS), Ross (NYSE: ROST), Gap (NYSE: GPS), Foot Locker (NYSS: FL) all posting numbers.
Target Corp.’s plan to remodel more than 1,000 stores nationwide by the end of 2020 is ramping up quickly. https://t.co/TkhrUCp42J
— Brixmor Property Grp (@Brixmor) 17 August 2018
Away from companies, Greece has met a milestone today as it officially exited the last of three huge rescue programs that saved it from going broker and leaving the Euro.
The IMF has said it still needs to improve tax collection, streamline its civil service and revamp its privatization program.
In European markets Monday , FTSE 100 is up 30 at 7,588, the German DAX is ahead by over 113 and France's CAC 40 is up 30 points at the time of writing.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 shed over 71 points to 22,199, while the Shanghai Composite Index added over 29 at 2,698.
"Markets often find it difficult to focus on one topic, and thus with the focus now shifting away from Turkey and towards China, it comes as no surprise that the pessimism of last week is fading into obscurity,” said IG market analyst Josh Mahony in London, summing up the mood as the week begins.
"Wednesday will see a trade delegation from China kick off a two-day meeting with their US counterparts, and as long as there is hope for some form of breakthrough, markets are likely to be in a more optimistic mood."