US Stock Futures Edge Higher; Costco Earnings In Focus

Pre-open movers US stock futures traded slightly higher in early pre-market trade. Costco Wholesale Corporation COST is expected to report its Q3 earnings after the closing bell. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 16.50 points to 18,069.50, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 2.15 points to 2,107.15. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index climbed 4.55 points to 4,484.30. A Peek Into Global Markets European markets were mostly higher today, with the Spanish Ibex Index rising 0.49 percent, STOXX Europe 600 Index gaining 0.41 percent and German DAX 30 index dropping 0.15 percent. French CAC 40 Index gained 0.34 percent and London's FTSE 100 Index rose 0.52 percent. In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.17 percent, China's Shanghai Composite Index climbed 0.63 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped 0.60 percent and India's BSE Sensex rose 0.12 percent. Broker Recommendation Analysts at Gabelli downgraded AutoZone, Inc. AZO from Buy to Hold. AutoZone shares rose 0.20 percent to $689.80 in pre-market trading. Breaking news

• GlobeImmune, Inc. GBIM today announced top line results from the GS-4774 Phase 2 study in patients with chronic hepatitis B on long term viral suppression with an oral antiviral treatment. To read the full news, click here.
• Acacia Research Corporation ACTG announced today that its Advanced Skeletal Innovations LLC and Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC subsidiaries have entered into a settlement agreement with Covidien LP f/k/a Tyco Healthcare Group, LP, a subsidiary of Medtronic, Inc. To read the full news, click here.
• Toll Brothers Inc TOL reported better-than-expected earnings for the second quarter. To read the full news, click here.
• Orion Marine Group, Inc. ORN today announced a contract award of approximately $30 million. To read the full news, click here.