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 * The minutes of the Fed's September meeting, released on Thursday,
indicated further signs of dovishness, with policymakers worried
about a global economic slowdown weighing on America, even before
weak September jobs data.
* U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday, while global stocks rallied
on Friday after the Fed minutes. Brent crude oil was on track for
its biggest weekly rise since March 2009, while the dollar fell.
* "Investors love these Fed minutes because they signal a strong
economy and low rates," said Jasper Lawler, market analyst at CMC
Markets in London.
* Investors will now turn their attention to U.S. corporate results
over the next few weeks. Profits of S&P 500 companies are expected
to have fallen 4.5 percent in the third quarter, the biggest drop in
six years, according to Thomson Reuters data.
* Alcoa's shares were down 4.3 percent at $10.54 premarket after the
metals company's results missed estimates, and the company forecast
an aluminum market deficit in 2016.
* However, prices of aluminum, zinc, lead and copper soared after
Glencore said it would slash its zinc output by a third, sparking a
short covering rally across the board.
* UTi Worldwide surged 47.5 percent to $6.96 after Danish logistics
group DSV said it would buy the company for $1.35 billion.
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* Tesla fell 3 percent to $220.0 after Barclays cut its rating on
the electric car maker's stock to "underweight".
Futures snapshot at 6:40 a.m. ET:
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 1.75 points, or 0.09 percent, with 125,001
contracts traded.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 0.75 points, or 0.02 percent, on volume
of 22,745 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 19 points, or 0.11 percent, with 19,964
contracts changing hands.
(Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bengaluru, Additional reporting
by Jamie McGeever; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
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