10 things you need to know before the opening bell
Here is what you need to know.
The Trump administration is planning to impose targeted sanctions on Russia. The action follows the alleged March poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia on British soil.
The SEC has reportedly made inquiries into Tesla about Elon Musk's tweet regarding possibly taking the company private. The regulatory body is looking into whether Musk's tweets were truthful, and also why the CEO made the announcement on Twitter, instead of a regulatory filing.
The ongoing feud between Canada and Saudi Arabia is continuing to escalate. Trudeau on Wednesday made his first public statement about mounting diplomatic crisis, which has stemmed from a human rights issue. He promised to stand firm against Saudi aggression.
More than 150 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip overnight and Israel retaliated with deadly airstrikes. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that mounting violence began on Wednesday after militants shot at an IDF vehicle in Gaza.
Another major earthquake hit Indonesia, days after a bigger one killed 347 people. According to Indonesia's meteorological agency, Thursday's earthquake struck at a depth of 12.5 miles, originating several miles northwest of Lombok.
Research outfit Leuthold Group says one stock market valuation metric is double where it was at the peak of the tech bubble. The development could have large implications for stock investors of all types, particularly value traders who make their living by finding discounts in the market.
Data and analytics company Dun & Bradstreet Corp said it will go private. It agreed to be acquired by an investor group led by CC Capital, Cannae Holdings and funds affiliated with Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., along with a group of other investors.
Stock markets around the world trade mixed. Japan's Nikkei index (-0.2%) climbed in Asia, and Germany's DAX (-0.36%) led losses across Europe. The S&P 500 is set to open up 0.1% near 2,857.
Earnings reporting continues. Adidas, Red Hat, and Bridgestone are among the companies reporting on Thursday.
US economic data keeps coming out. Initial jobless claims are out at 8:30 a.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is down less than 1 basis point at 2.97%.