TOKYO (AP) — International stock markets were mostly higher today after largely positive results from the European Central Bank’s stress tests of financial institutions. Investors are also looking ahead to earnings and a meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Futures point to opening gains on wall Street today. Benchmark U.S. crude oil barely moved up to just above $81 a barrel. The dollar fell against the yen and the euro.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Association of Realtors will issue its pending home sales index for September. There are also three corporate earnings reports today. Merck & Co. reports quarterly financial results before the market opens. Twitter and Amgen report after the market closes.
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is tops again in auto sales. The world’s top-selling automaker reports record sales of 7.615 million vehicles in the first nine months of the year, up nearly 3 percent from the previous year. Volkswagen comes in second, with General Motors in third, after being nudged out of second in the first half of 2014. All three carmakers are in a tight battle.
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — A national survey of gas prices reports that the average cost of U.S. regular grade gas dropped 18 cents per gallon in the last two weeks. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says the average for regular grade gas is $3.08 per gallon, while midgrade averages $3.31 and premium $3.47. Retail diesel averages $3.67. Lundberg said the price has dropped 65 cents since its peak in May and is 29 cents below what it was last year — driven by a decrease in the price of crude oil.
UNDATED (AP) — Despite the expense, drugmakers are racing to develop vaccines and drugs to address the worst outbreak of Ebola in history — and betting that wealthier governments and aid groups will foot the bill that hard hit West African nations likely can’t afford. There are no proven drugs or vaccines for Ebola, in large part because the disease is so rare that up until now it’s been hard to attract research funding.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
