US Stock Futures Up On Gain In Overseas Markets, GE In Focus

US stock futures are higher this morning, as strong gains from global markets lifted investor sentiment. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 7 points to 11,351.00, while those for the S&P 500 rose 0.20 point to 1,236.20. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index gained 1 point to 2,216.00. US stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow index gaining 0.35%. No major data are due to be released today. General Electric GE announced its plans to buy UK energy-equipment group Wellstream Holdings Plc for $1.3 billion. Sanofi-Aventis SA SNY extended its $18.5 billion offer for Genzyme Corp GENZ. Wal-Mart Stores Inc WMT announced that it closing its Moscow office. However, the company said that it still remains interested in entering the country's market. The central bank of China did not lift interest rates. Asian markets ended in the positive territory, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average adding 0.80%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving up 0.23% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 2.89%. Positive sentiments ruled the European markets today. While STOXX Europe 600 Index has advanced 0.41%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.75%. Gold futures for December delivery gained $5.50 to $1,389.80 an ounce. However, crude-oil futures moved up $1.05 to $88.87 per barrel. Read more from Benzinga's Markets.