U.S. Market | Futures Indicator: Stocks set to rise for a second day amid US-China trade optimism

Silvia Amaro

2-3 minutes - Source: CNBC

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U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher Thursday, boost by optimism around trade talks with China.
At around 7:15 a.m. ET, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures indicated a gain of more than 60 points at the open. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 also traded higher.
Wall Street ended Wednesday on a higher note after President Donald Trump said that a U.S.-China trade deal could arrive sooner-than-expected. Trump’s comments sent equities higher, with the Dow jumping 162.94 points.
Bloomberg News also reported China is expected to increase its U.S. soybeans purchases during trade talks next month. Both countries have engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff war since 2018.
Caterpillar and Boeing traded slightly higher in the premarket. 

Meanwhile, investors are also monitoring an impeachment inquiry started at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, in relation to a call between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. A transcript from the call, released Wednesday, did not appear to show and explicit quid pro quo by Donald Trump. However, more details of their phone conversation are yet to be released.
Investors will hear more about the whistleblower complaint that launched the House impeachment inquiry when the acting director of National Intelligence, Joseph Maguire, testifies before the House Intelligence Committee at 9 a.m.
On the data front, there will be weekly jobless claims and international trade figures out at 8:30 a.m. ET. At the same time, it will also be released the final reading of real growth domestic product GDP data from the second quarter of this year.
In corporate news, Carnival and Vail Resorts will be reporting.
Several Federal Reserve members will also be making speeches throughout the day, including St. Louis Fed President James Bullard at 10 a.m. ET.