The Dow Jones today will catch a spark with the latest news in China-U.S. trade talks.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. Treasure Secretary Steven Mnuchin have reportedly discussed a trade deal between the world's two largest economies in an effort to reach a resolution. More on how this could send the the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging higher below.
Plus, Brexit news and what a Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) scandal is doing to Facebook stock...
Here are the numbers from Thursday for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:
| Index | Previous Close | Point Change | Percentage Change |
| Dow Jones | 25,709.94 | -7.05 | -0.03% |
| S&P 500 | 2,808.48 | -2.44 | -0.09% |
| Nasdaq | 7,630.91 | -12.50 | -0.16% |
Now, here's a closer look at today's Money Morning insight, the most important market events, and stocks to watch.
The Top Stock Market Stories for Friday
- This morning, markets are hoping U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart are close to reaching a deal on trade. Although Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not scheduled to meet on trade this month, a deal is still possible in the next month. But the high-level meetings with Mnuchin and Liu He suggest a deal is getting closer, and the meeting between President Trump and Xi could finalize the agreement. Get ready for stocks to break higher when the deal is announced.
- In the United Kingdom, British lawmakers have voted to seek a delay on the country's departure from the European Union. Investors continue to worry about Britain's ongoing delays to its departures from the European Union.
LEGAL WAVE: Barriers to marijuana could be tumbling in Mexico and Thailand, but it's here in the U.S. where legalization could spark a "Green Rush" in certain stocks. Click here to learn about three of them...
Two Stocks to Watch Today: BKE, FB
- Shares of Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) were off 0.7% after the firm received a downgrade from German investment bank Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB). The firm downgraded BKE stock from a "Hold" to a "Sell" and set a price target of $16 per share.
- Shares of Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) were off 1.2% after The New York Times reported that the social media giant is under criminal investigation. According to the newspaper, the firm offered "broad access to view information on Facebook users" sometimes without those users' permission. This is a story that we'll continue to monitor heading into next week.
John Boehner Just Revealed Why He's Going ALL IN on Marijuana (Did You Miss It?)
Former Speaker of the House John Boehner - once the cannabis industry's most staunch opponent - just revealed an UNCENSORED prediction about America's most controversial, misunderstood, and what's quickly becoming our most lucrative industry. If you missed seeing this historic announcement live, go here for a special rebroadcast.
Follow Money Morning on Facebook and Twitter.
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.