US Stocks Set To End Week Strong As Netflix Q3 Earnings Boost Optimism, Gold Hits New Highs: What's Driving Sentiment Friday?

Wall Street is priming for a positive start on Friday after the major averages ended narrowly mixed in the previous session. Positive reaction to Netflix, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:NFLX) earnings could provide a lift to the tech space, given earnings news flow from the sector will likely start in earnest next week. Earnings and speeches by Federal Reserve officials could set the tempo for Friday’s session. China’s third-quarter GDP rose slightly more than estimates, allaying the fears of traders. Gold continues to make record after record, while oil continues to have a volatile ride amid geopolitical tensions.

Futures

Performance (+/-)

Nasdaq 100

+0.39%

S&P 500

+0.17%

Dow

+0.03%

R2K

+0.46%

In premarket trading on Friday, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) rose 0.23% to $583.61 and the Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) jumped 0.51% to $493.75, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Cues From Last Session:

U.S. stocks closed narrowly mixed as traders digested a batch of mixed economic data as well as a flurry of earnings. After opening higher, the major indices experienced some volatility in the morning, although holding mostly above the unchanged line.

Stocks gave back most of their gains in late afternoon trading before finishing on a mixed note.

The Dow Industrials closed at fresh intraday and closing highs, thanks to a positive reaction to Travelers Companies, Inc.’s (NYSE:TRV) earnings, while the S&P 500 Index hit an intraday high before squandering all the gains ...