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* Equities closed a fifth straight week of
advances Friday, with the Dow and S&P 500 ending at closing
records on the back of accommodative action from central banks
in China and Europe.
* Policy in China, the world's No. 2 economy, could spur more
market gains. Sources told Reuters the country's leadership and
central bank were ready to cut interest rates again and loosen
lending restrictions on concern falling prices could trigger a
surge in debt defaults, business failures and job losses.
* The S&P 500 has appreciated 13.3 percent since an intraday low
hit on Oct. 15, and the gains since then have been broad, with
all but 23 S&P 500 components higher. The speed of the rally has
worried some market participants, and volatility may pick up
this week with traders out for the holiday. Markets will close
for Thanksgiving on Thursday and close early Friday.
* In company news, RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd agreed to buy
Platinum Underwriters Holdings Ltd for $1.9 billion. BioMarin
Pharmaceuticals Inc said it would buy Dutch drug developer
Prosensa Holding NV for about $840 million including milestone
payments. Prosena jumped 53 percent to $17.50 in premarket
trading.
* Trina Solar Ltd reported third-quarter earnings that grew 16
percent on strong demand in Japan and China. Shares were flat at
$10.93 before the bell.
* Intel Corp rose 0.9 percent to $35.91 in premarket trading. In
its Nov. 24 edition, Barron's wrote that the stock could rise
more than 30 percent over the next two years.
Futures snapshot at 6:47 a.m. EST (1147 GMT):
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 3.75 points, or 0.18 percent, with
89,703 contracts changing hands.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 10.25 points, or 0.24
percent, in volume of 12,978 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 25 points, or 0.14 percent, with 11,782
contracts changing hands.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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