* The benchmark S&P 500 index is on pace for its first weekly gain
after three weeks of losses.
* U.S. stocks fell on Thursday as a stronger dollar weighed on oil
and other commodity prices, sending energy and materials sectors
lower, a day after Federal Reserve statements appeared to be more
dovish than expected even as it opened the door for a Fed funds rate
hike as soon as in June.
* Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said during late-night crisis
talks in Brussels that his leftist-led coalition would present a
full set of economic reforms in order to unlock cash to stave off
bankruptcy.
* The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.23
percent, bolstered by the Greek comments and gains in the
construction sector after Holcim and Lafarge agreed to new merger
terms even as the impetus from Wednesday's Fed statement started to
ease.
* Biogen Idec shares were up 3 percent at $447 in premarket trading
after its experimental drug became the first Alzheimer's treatment
to significantly slow cognitive decline and reduce brain plaque in
patients with early and mild forms of the disease, according to a
small study likely to reignite hopes of a treatment.
* Tiffany & Co. shares were down 2.7 percent to $84 after it
reported fourth-quarter earnings in line with analyst expectations
but forecast a 10 percent decline in sales for the first quarter.
* Brent crude oil fell toward $54 a barrel on Friday and was on
track for its third straight weekly loss, hurt by oversupply worries
after Kuwait said OPEC had no choice but to maintain output levels.
U.S. crude for April delivery CLc1 slipped 21 cents to $43.75 a
barrel, headed for its fifth weekly loss.
[to top of second column] |
Futures snapshot at 7:11 a.m. (1111 GMT):
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 7.25 points, or 0.34 percent, with 89,173
contracts changing hands.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 14.75 points, or 0.33 percent, in
volume of 14927 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 88 points, or 0.49 percent, with 12,595
contracts changing hands.
(Reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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