Dow Jones Futures Slip as Violence in Iraq Escalates, Plus These Top Market Stories

Stock market news today, June 13, 2014: The conflict in Iraq weighed on Dow Jones futures Friday. S&P 500 futures were also down, while Nasdaq Composite futures were flat.

Here's the top stock market news to make your Friday profitable:

  • Welcome to the Board: On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Stanley Fischer as vice chairman of the Federal Reserve's board of governors. Fischer, who was the former governor of the Bank of Israel and Chief Economist of the World Bank, follows Janet Yellen after she became Fed Chairwoman in February. The Senate also confirmed Lael Brainard to the Fed's board and confirmed Jerome Powell for another term. There will be two more nominations to fill additional vacancies.
  • The IPO of the Year: As it prepares to file its initial public offering, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is planning to provide an immense amount of detail about its business in regulatory filings, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Internet giant aims to reduce investor concerns about secrecy and a lack of transparency within the company. Alibaba will disclose the 28 partners with board nomination powers, in addition to financial performance metrics within its multiple business divisions.
    dow jones futures

  • What's in Your Beer: In a surprising move, Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA (NYSE ADR: BUD) unveiled the ingredients of Budweiser and Bud Light for the first time. The move comes after a popular food blogger began an online petition that asked brewers to list their ingredients. While there is no law requiring breweries to list their ingredients, the company acknowledged that the shift in health and wellness drove their decision. Meanwhile, multiple breweries that have begun listing their ingredients have provided some surprising contents, including airplane deicing liquid and fish bladders.

    Get shocking news from Tesla, a Google purchase that could pepper the sky, today's economic calendar and more...

  • Into the Stratosphere: According to Sky News, Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG, GOOGL) is considering the purchase of a stake in Virgin Galactic, the commercial spaceflight outfit owned by Sir Richard Branson. As we've noted before, the company is expanding its tech holdings in its pursuit of providing online access to the two-thirds of the earth without Internet service. The deal would provide Google with Virgin's satellite-launching technology.
  • Today's Economic Calendar: Today's light schedule features consumer sentiment and the PPI final demand report.
  • Ford Fesses Up: Automaker Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) announced plans to reduce the fuel economy standard ratings on six models, including a number of hybrids. Ford said the company plans to reimburse owners of 200,000 affected U.S. vehicles with a "goodwill payment" of $1,050 each for the difference in fuel costs.
  • Earnings Reports: Stay tuned for earnings reports from Multi-Color Corp. (Nasdaq: LABL), MGC Diagnostics Corp. (Nasdaq: MGCD), and Streamline Health Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq: STRM).

Full U.S. Economic Calendar June 13, 2014 (NYSE: all times EDT)

  • PPI-FD at 8:30 a.m.
  • Consumer Sentiment at 9:55 a.m.

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About the Author

Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.

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