Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open
The Bank of England has conformed to market expectations and held its key rate of overnight interest at 0.25 per cent, while Apple can't cook up iPhones fast enough.
Here's what you need to know before the US market open at 2:30pm London time.
US futures are pointing to a very health rise ahead of the open. Both the S&P and the Nasdaq are looking up by 0.34 per cent, while the Dow is 0.32 per cent higher. The US 10-year yield is unchanged at 1.7 per cent.
It follows a good start to the session across European markets, though Asian markets ended the day mixed.
Ready, steady, hold!
Markets barely blinked after Bank of England governor Mark Carney's Monetary Policy Committee opted to keep interest rates and stimulus on hold after easing at their last meeting.
The decision was well in line with market (and City PM's Shadow MPC) expectations.
However the Bank did warn that a further cut could be on the cards if economic performance doesn't pick up. Carney has previously said he will never go to zero per cent interest rates (or under) and if another cut does happen he intends to frustrate traditional rate forecasts by breaking from the 25 basis point movements and leave rates hovering a little over zero per cent – most likely at 0.01 per cent.
Can't ever make things easy, can you, Mark?
Nuclear fallout
Meanwhile, the UK government has approved plans to build the controversial £18bn Hinkley Point C project, but with revised conditions.
The move, which paves the way for the UK's first new nuclear power plant in a generation, includes measures to ensure French utility giant EDF remains the controlling partner during the construction phase. Whitehall will also be able to intervene in the sale of EDF’s stake once Hinkley is operational.
Prime Minister Theresa May decided to face-off with China after coming to power, putting the project under review at the end of July due to security concerns over Chinese involvement.
Stocks to watch
Apple has said it's all out of the new iPhone 7 causing investors to rush into the Cupertino-based world's largest company.
A 10 per cent surge in recent days is looking likely to move still higher when markets open at 2:30pm London time.
The recent rally has added about $54bn to Apple's market capitalization.
Allergan is under pressure in the pre-market after the Ireland-based pharma firm announced yesterday it plans to buy psoriasis and autoimmune treatment developer Vitae Pharmaceuticals for $639m (£484m) in cash.
Companies reporting
Business software giant Oracle reports after markets close with Bloomberg analysts expecting adjusted earnings of $0.60 a share on revenue of $8.70bn.
In economic news
A flurry of data crosses the wires an hour before the open. Empire Manufacturing, initial jobless claims, Philly Fed, and retail sales are out at 1:30 London time.
A little later the latest industrial production and business inventories will be released.
US Presidential candidate Donald Trump is speaking at the Economic Club of New York at 4:15pm London time.