Futures edge higher on hopes of monetary stimulus
By Uday Sampath Kumar
Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures ticked higher on Monday, as mixed global economic data drove expectations of monetary stimulus from central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Stocks were set to extend gains from last week, which ended with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell saying the Fed would "act as appropriate" to sustain economic expansion, a phrase that financial markets have read as signs of an interest rate cut ahead.
Bets of a potential rate cut by the Fed gained ground after data showed the U.S. economy added fewer-than-expected jobs in August.
Traders see a 91.2% chance of a quarter percentage point cut in Fed's September policy meeting, up from 90% on Friday, according to CME's FedWatch.
The European Central Bank is also expected to cut rates later this week.
The benchmark S&P 500 .SPX gained 1.8% last week as a slew of positive global economic news, including China's decision to slash bank reserve requirements, more than offset mixed set of domestic economic data.
In company news, shares of Boeing Co BA.N fell 1% after it suspended load testing of its new widebody 777X aircraft over the weekend as media reports said a cargo door failed in a ground stress test.
At 7:03 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis 1YMcv1 were up 54 points, or 0.2%. S&P 500 e-minis EScv1 were up 7.25 points, or 0.24% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis NQcv1 were up 16.75 points, or 0.21%.
Among other stocks, drugmaker Amgen Inc AMGN.O fell 4.2% and was the biggest loser among S&P 500 stocks in premarket trading.
(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
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