A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts

Pre-open movers US stock futures are higher this morning as investors are awaiting earnings reports. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 47 points to 12,230 and futures on the S&P 500 index gained 5 points to 1,319. Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 12.25 points to 2,334. A Peek Into Global Markets Negative sentiment ruled the European markets today. While STOXX Europe 600 Index has dropped 0.13%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 0.45%. Most Asian markets ended lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropping 0.80%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropping 0.24% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 0.25%. Broker Recommendation Citi Investment Research is raising its price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals Inc APD to $107 from $94, and is upgrading shares to a Buy. In a note to investors, Citi writes, "With the recent correction and the overhang from the Airgas bid removed, we are upgrading APD to Buy. Management can now return its focus to growth in Energy, Electronics and Emerging Markets. We think APD shares offer good long-term appreciation potential as the industrial gases industry remains highly consolidated with attractive returns. Industrial gas companies could become good later cycle plays as new project startups accelerate in 2012 and 2013. The recent pullback in APD shares presents a good entry point. We are raising our target price to $107 and upgrading to Buy." Shares of APD lost $3.13 yesterday to close at $91.83, a loss of 3.3%. Breaking news

• DIRECTV DTV today reported an increase in fourth quarter 2010 revenues of 11% to $6.62 billion, operating profit before depreciation and amortization of 13% to $1.68 billion and operating profit of 23% to $1.06 billion compared with last year's fourth quarter. To read the full news, click here.
• Lowe's Companies Inc LOW reports its Q4 EPS at $0.21, versus the consensus of $0.18. To read the full news, click here.
• Apparently feeling left out of the latest round of exchange M&A fever, Nasdaq OMX Group NDAQ could launch a rival bid for NYSE Euronext NYX to compete with the $10.2 billion Germany's Deutsche Boerse is offering the operator of the New York Stock Exchange. To read the full news, click here.
• Dollar Tree DLTR reports its Q4 EPS at $1.29, versus the consensus of $1.27. To read the full news, click here.

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