Quiet night: FTSE and DAX +0.1%, Dow flat, S&P +0.2% - S&P at yet another all-time record high.

US building in April accelerated appreciably: housing starts +20% - the most since 2007..

FTSE -0.2%, DAX -1.0%, S&P both Dow +0.1% - S&P at another all-time record high.

FTSE +2.3%, DAX +2.7%, S&P +1.4%, Dow +1.5%; Aus market should be up at opening.

US Federal Government posted a monthly budget surplus of $157 billion; April's surplus is the largest monthly print in seven years.

FTSE +2.3%, DAX +2.7%, S&P +1.4%, Dow +1.5%; Aus market should be up at opening.

FTSE -0.7%, DAX +0.5%, S&P +0.4%, Dow +0.5%; Aus market likely to open flat or slightly down.

US's monthly trade deficit for March was considerably larger than estimates assumed; the actual posting being $51.4 billion.

American Factory Earnings up 2.1% over March, essentially matching consensus.

Positive all round: FTSE +0.4%, DAX both +0.2%, S&P +1.1%, Dow +1.0%.