US October services ISM posted a strong 59.1, up from September's 56.9.

US September factory orders came in -1.0% over the month - slightly more than consensus anticipated.

A good night: FTSE flat, DAX +0.9%, Dow +0.9%, S&P +1.2%; US health care stocks did well.

Mixed night: FTSE -0.5%, DAX +0.5%, Dow and S&P both -0.5%; Dow +9.1 and S&P +8.3 for October.

Australian markets disappointing yesterday, down at the start today: FTSE -0.6%, DAX -0.3%, Dow -0.1%, S&P flat

What the markets giveth, the markets taketh away... FTSE -0.8%, DAX -0.1%, Dow -0.2%, S&P -0.3% so we'll start -0.3%

We'll start flat today as weak US home sales subdued markets FTSE -0.4%, DAX +0.1%, Dow -0.1%, S&P -0.2%

FTSE +1.1%, DAX +2.9%, Dow +0.9%, S&P +0.1% and S&P positive for the year to date.

US existing home sales reached an annual 5.55M higher than 5.39M consensus and the highest since the end of the recession.

US total mortgage appplications rose just shy of 12% (week on week) last week ahead of regulation changes.