Monthly retail sales and weekly jobless claims are the main events on today's economic calendar.
Companies such as Gap, L Brands, and Costco could be active following their July sales reports, which will released throughout the morning.
The Labor Department will announce initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists expect a reading of 340,000, up from 326,000 the previous week. Lower numbers are bullish because they would indicate that fewer Americans had lost their jobs.
Chinese trade numbers released last night could also sway sentiment today, especially in commodity stocks.
Companies reporting earnings before the opening bell include Dean Foods, distiller Beam, and utility name AES. Monster Beverage, Nvidia, Nektar Therapeutics, and Priceline.com report after the closing bell.
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