Good morning!
Stock market futures for Thursday, Nov. 13, surged higher after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced third-quarter earnings and revenue that beat analyst expectations. It was also the first time in nearly two years the world's largest retailer reported a quarterly upturn in comparable same-store sales.
An announcement of a $4.7 billion deal that Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B) will acquire the Duracell battery business from Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) also boosted U.S. stock market futures this morning.
On Wednesday, the Dow Jones dropped 2 points, ending its streak of five consecutive record-high closings. The S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) - the market's volatility gauge - increased a little less than 1%.
Today, keep an eye the market's reaction to another round of Chinese data and a speech from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen. Yellen will provide opening remarks at the joint Fed-ECB conference in Washington, where global monetary policy will be in focus.
Here's what else you should know - including your "Money Morning Tip of the Day" - to make your Tuesday profitable:
Full U.S. Economic Calendar November 13, 2014 (NYSE: all times EST)
Of course, the critics never go away. But as Money Morning Executive Editor Bill Patalon explained this week, anyone who is bearish on China is wrong. And worse, they're leaving a lot of money on the table...