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US STOCKS-Wall Street eyes record open as Middle East tensions fade

Published 09/01/2020, 15:10
Updated 09/01/2020, 15:18
© Reuters.  US STOCKS-Wall Street eyes record open as Middle East tensions fade
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* Easing geopolitical tensions spur risk-on mood

* FAANG stocks rise on positive brokerage comments

* Kohl's slides after downbeat FY earnings forecast

* Futures up: Dow Dow 0.39%, S&P 0.35%, Nasdaq 0.60%

(Updates prices, adds comment)

By Sruthi Shankar

Jan 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to open at record

levels on Thursday after the United States and Iran pulled back

from new military action, while firming optimism about a

U.S.-China trade deal added to the upbeat mood.

China's commerce ministry said on Thursday that Vice Premier

Liu He will sign a Phase 1 trade deal in Washington next week,

raising hopes that a prolonged tariff war between the two sides

will come to a close. After a wobbly start in the new year on fears of an all-out

conflict in the Middle East, nerves eased on Wednesday as

Washington and Tehran looked to defuse the crisis after Iran's

retaliatory attack following the killing of a top general.

"While geopolitical risks can trigger bouts of short-term

volatility, investors should not ignore the recent improvements

in selected economic indicators and earnings," strategists at

Eastspring Investments said in a client note.

"Should the nascent recovery in the global economy continue,

further upside in global markets is still possible."

After a better-than-expected private payrolls report on

Wednesday, investors are awaiting Friday's jobs report as well

as fourth-quarter reports. Big U.S. banks will kick off the

quarterly earnings season next week.

Earnings for the S&P 500 companies are expected to drop 0.6%

in their second consecutive decline, according to Refinitiv IBES

data.

At 8:47 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis 1YMcv1 were up 113 points, or

0.39%. S&P 500 e-minis EScv1 were up 11.5 points, or 0.35% and

Nasdaq 100 e-minis NQcv1 were up 53.5 points, or 0.6%.

Apple AAPL.O gained 1.3% after government data showed

iPhone sales in China in December jumped more than 18% year on

year. Meanwhile, Jefferies raised its price target on the stock

by $65 to $350. Jefferies also upgraded Snap Inc SNAP.K to "buy" as it

expects improving user growth in international markets. The

company's shares rose 4%.

Alphabet GOOGL.O , Facebook FB.O and Twitter TWTR.N

rose between 0.8% and 1.7% as Cowen Equity Research raised its

price target on the stocks after the brokerage's survey of U.S.

ad buyers showed upbeat spending in 2020.

Starbucks Corp SBUX.O rose 1.7% after Barclays raised the

stock to "over weight", while Advanced Micro Devices Inc AMD.O

gained 2.2% after Mizuho recommended "buy" on the stock, citing

an improving server market in 2020.

Shares in Kohl's Corp KSS.N slid 7.9% after the department

store operator forecast full-year earnings at the bottom end of

an already lowered target. J C Penney Co Inc JCP.N dropped

2.5% after disappointing same-store sales numbers.

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