U.S. stock futures were little changed as data showed applications for employment benefits fell more than forecast last week.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  13,549.16 +261.03 +1.96%

Hang Seng 22,101.27 +66.71 +0.30%

Shanghai Composite 2,219.55 -6.57 -0.30%

FTSE  6,402.43 +15.06 +0.24%

CAC  3,764.67 +20.96 +0.56%

DAX 7,839.47 +28.84 +0.37%

Crude oil $94.30 -0.36%

Gold $1558.40 -0.03%

Downgrades:

Microsoft (MSFT) downgraded from Neutral to Sell at Goldman

Microsoft (MSFT) downgraded from Buy to Neutral at Nomura

European stocks advanced for a fourth day, as retailers and household-goods makers rallied, before a report that may show American unemployment claims fell.

U.S. initial jobless claims slipped to 360,000 in the week ended April 6 from 385,000 in the previous week, economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted before a Labor Department report at 8:30 a.m. in Washington.

The ECB said it will look for signs in economic data that inflation could slow more than it currently anticipates.

Marks & Spencer rose 4.1 percent to 399.7 pence, its biggest gain since March 18. The U.K.’s largest clothing retailer reported faster sales growth than analysts projected. Food revenue at U.K. stores open at least a year climbed 4 percent in the 13 weeks ended March 30, topping the 2.5 percent median estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

ENRC fell 5.1 percent to 256.2 pence. Chairman Mehmet Dalman, who is leading an internal probe into fraud allegations over the company’s assets in Kazakhstan, may leave after disagreements with other company executives, the Financial Times reported, without citing anyone.

Evraz, Russia’s biggest steelmaker, plunged 9.2 percent to 190.5 pence, its biggest decline since November 2011. The company’s board of directors refrained from announcing a final dividend, citing deteriorating market environment and a weaker second-half performance.

FTSE 100 6,406.1 +18.73 +0.29%

CAC 40 3,760.6 +16.89 +0.45%

DAX 7,844.89 +34.26 +0.44%

Asian stocks rose for a fourth day, the longest winning streak in three months, as the yen neared 100 to the dollar after the Bank of Japan said it will maintain stimulus and loan growth in China topped estimates.

Nikkei 225 13,501.08 +212.95 +1.60%

S&P/ASX 200 4,999.1 +31.11 +0.63%

Shanghai Composite 2,228.48 +2.36 +0.11%

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest carmaker, added 5.1 percent.

Sharp Corp. jumped 7.9 percent in Tokyo as the Nikkei newspaper reported profit at the electronics manufacturer will exceed it forecasts.

GS Engineering & Construction Corp. slumped 15 percent in Seoul after reporting an unexpected loss.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 13,288.13 +95.78 +0.73%

Hang Seng 21,896.4 +26.06 +0.12%

S&P/ASX 200 4,968 -8.84 -0.18%

Shanghai Composite 2,223.3 -2.47 -0.11%

FTSE 100 6,390.82 +77.61 +1.23%

CAC 40 3,743.79 +73.07 +1.99%

DAX 7,811.07 +173.56 +2.27%

Dow +126.06 14,799.52 +0.86%

Nasdaq +58.53 3,296.39 +1.81%

S&P +18.94 1,587.55 +1.21%