European stocks may see cautious gains at open on Friday after world leaders counselled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay a full-scale invasion of Gaza, fearing it could ignite hostilities on other Middle East fronts. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, after robust U.S. GDP data fueled speculation of further Fed rate hikes, investors now await the Commerce Department’s report on personal income and spending in September later in the day for further direction. The report includes readings on inflation said to be preferred by the Federal Reserve.<\/p>\n
U.S. stock futures ticked higher after Amazon and Intel both reported better-than-expected results. Energy giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil are among the companies due to report their results before the U.S. opening bell later in the day. <\/p>\n
Asian shares were mostly higher, with Japan’s Nikkei average rallying more than 1 percent as chip-related stocks recovered after recent steep losses. <\/p>\n
The dollar headed for a weekly gain while gold edged up slightly after a sharp retreat for long-term U.S. Treasury rates. <\/p>\n
Oil prices rose about 2 percent after the U.S. military struck two Iran-linked facilities in Syria, raising concerns the Israel-Gaza war may spread. <\/p>\n
The strikes in Syria follow a direct warning earlier from U.S. President Joe Biden to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei against the strikes on U.S. troops.<\/p>\n
Overnight, U.S. stocks fell notably as investors weighed disappointing tech earnings against upbeat GDP data.<\/p>\n