Futures Pointing To Modestly Higher Open As Trading Resumes

Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures indicate a modestly higher open following a trading disruption at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange due to a "cooling issue" [1] - Recent upward momentum has contributed to a four-day winning streak for the markets, driven by renewed optimism about interest rates after dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials [2][5] Economic Data - The Commerce Department reported that new orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods increased by 0.5% in September, following a revised 3.0% spike in August, surpassing economists' expectations of a 0.3% rise [6] - Initial jobless claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly dipped to 216,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level of 222,000, contrary to expectations of an increase to 225,000 [7][8] Sector Performance - Gold stocks surged by 4.9%, driven by an increase in gold prices, while airline stocks rose by 3.2%, reaching a one-month closing high [9] - Strong movements were also observed in brokerage, steel, and natural gas stocks, contributing to the overall positive performance across major sectors [10] International Markets - Asian stocks showed mixed performance, with China's Shanghai Composite Index rising by 0.3% after JPMorgan raised its recommendation for Chinese stocks to "overweight" [14] - European stocks moved modestly higher, with the German DAX, French CAC 40, and U.K.'s FTSE 100 all up by 0.2%, amid rising expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December [19]