STOCKS/ECONOMY
-Stock futures are flat after Wednesday's 218-point gain for the Dow, larger 0.6 percent rise for the S&P 500, and a 0.9 percent advance for the Nasdaq. Investors still seem to be mostly treading water as they await the beginning of earnings reporting season next week.
-The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is at 4.34 percent.
-Gold is at the $3,327 per ounce level. Bitcoin is at the $110,900 level.
-Asian markets closed mostly higher today. The Hang Seng gained 0.6 percent, the Nikkei fell 0.4 percent, and the Shenzhen rose 0.5 percent.
OIL/ENERGY
-U.S. crude oil prices are down and at the $67 a barrel level.
-Gasoline prices are up to $3.17 a gallon, national average.
FLYING HIGHER
-Delta Air Lines (DAL) reported better than expected quarterly profits and revenues, and said higher-end customer demand has remained strong. Its shares are up 13 percent in the premarket.
DIGGING IT UP
-The U.S. Defense Department will become the largest shareholder in rare earth miner MP Materials (MP), as control over the commodity is now clearly seen as an urgent national security issue. MP shares are up 45 percent in the premarket.
TARIFF TUMULT
-President Trump says the U.S. will hit Brazilian goods with a 50 percent tariff starting on August 1. Brazil's President Lula says his nation will respond in kind.
SWEET DEAL
-Italian chocolate maker Ferrero is reportedly close to closing a deal to buy U.S. cereal giant Wk Kellogg (KLG) in a $3 billion deal. Kellogg shares are up 53 percent in the premarket.
MAD WOMAN
-Microsoft (MSFT) executive Cindy Rose will be the new CEO of ad giant WPP (WPP). The news comes a day after WPP warned that its second quarter customer demand was weaker than expected. WPP shares are up 2 percent in the premarket after losing 18 percent Wednesday. Microsoft shares are flat.
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