Crude Oil is also sharply higher, up 1.4%, while its counterpart in the oil patch – Natural Gas – is down 2.5% to $1.966. Natural Gas is by far the largest losing of the main futures markets, with the next closest – coffee – down just 0.6%.
After-the-bell earnings are not yet on the radar, but may become towards the end of the trading day. IBM, Intel (INTC), and Yahoo! (YHOO) are the major plays there. IBM has beat expectations by an average of 1.8% over the past four trailing quarters. So, we should expect another strong number there. We’ll really be looking at YHOO, with the potential to move the most. The stock is in a beaten up, built up pattern that could see good volatility. Should be fun.