A Peek Into The Market Before The Trading Starts

Pre-open movers US stock futures are lower this morning, as Alcoa Inc AA reported disappointing Q1 sales. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 55 points to 12,266.00 and futures on the S&P 500 stock index fell 7.30 points to 1,312.30. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 10.50 points to 2,297.50. A Peek Into Global Markets Negative sentiment ruled the European markets today. While STOXX Europe 600 Index has dropped 1.15%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 0.97%. Asian markets ended lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropping 1.69%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declining 1.48% and China's Shanghai Composite losing 0.05%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1.34%. Broker Recommendation Analysts at Barclays upgraded Edison International EIX from “equal weight” to “overweight.” The target price for EIX has been raised from $41 to $43. EIX shares fell 1.29% to close at $36.79 yesterday. Breaking news

• Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat confirmed on Tuesday that it had upped its stake in Chrysler to 30%, a move that saw another 5% of Chrysler's shares going to Fiat. To read the full news, click here.
• Microsemi Corporation MSCC signed a definitive agreement to purchase AML Communications Inc AMLJ for $2.50 per share in an all-cash deal. To read the full news, click here.
• CNBC reported today that, according to Lubrizol LZ, David Sokol did receive a phone call confirming that Lubrizol was interested in moving forward with the Berkshire Hathaway BRK BRK deal. To read the full news, click here.
• Medical Properties Trust, Inc. MPW announced today that its operating partnership, MPT Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and MPT Finance Corporation are offering $450 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2021 to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to non-U.S. persons outside of the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. To read the full news, click here.

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