BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Import and Export Prices for September and Consumer Sentiment report for October are the major highlights on Friday.
Investors are closely following the U.S.-China trade discussions and developments.
Asian shares finished higher, while European shares are trading positive. Initial signs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might be opening higher.
As of 8.00 am ET, the Dow futures were gaining 262.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were adding 29.50 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were up 85.75 points.
The U.S. major averages remained firmly positive at Thursday's close. The Dow climbed 150.66 points or 0.6 percent to 26,496.67, the Nasdaq advanced 47.04 points or 0.6 percent to 7,950.78 and the S&P 500 rose 18.73 points or 0.6 percent to 2,938.13.
On the economic front, the Labor Department's Import and Export Prices for September will be published at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for a decline of 0.1 percent, while it was down 0.5 percent in the prior month.
University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment report for October will be published at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for 92.0, down from 93.2 in the prior month.
Baker-Hughes Rig Count for the week will be published at 1.00 pm ET. In the previous week, the North American Rig Count was 999, while U.S. Rig Count was 855.
Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren will speak at the American Economic Challenges Symposium held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin at 1.15 pm ET.
Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan will speak in a moderated Q&A at the Commonwealth Club of California Luncheon in San Francisco, CA, with audience and media Q&A at 3.00 pm ET.
Asian stocks rose on Friday. China's Shanghai Composite index climbed 25.95 points, or 0.88 percent, to 2,973.66 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped as much as 600.51 points, or 2.34 percent, to 26,308.44.
Japanese shares advanced. The Nikkei average rose by 246.89 points, or 1.15 percent, to 21,798.87, its highest level since Oct. 1. The broader Topix index closed 0.88 percent higher at 1,595.27.
Australian markets rose sharply. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index climbed 59.70 points, or 0.91 percent, to 6,606.80 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended up 59 points, or 0.89 percent, at 6,721.90.
European shares are trading higher. Among the major indexes in the region, the CAC 40 Index of France is climbing 68.78 points or 1.24 percent, the German DAX is gaining 266.53 points or 2.19 percent, the U.K. FTSE 100 Index is progressing 28.44 points or 0.40 percent. The Swiss Market Index is adding 83.23 points or 0.84 percent.
The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which is a compilation of 50 blue chip stocks across the euro area, is up 1.55 percent.
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