Stocks surged upward early Monday, the Associated Press reports, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq rising 0.5%, 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively.
The premarket gains came despite growing anxiety over a potential U.S. government shutdown later in the week, with government funding set to run out Wednesday and an apparent impasse between Republicans and Democrats.
Shares of British pharmaceutical giant GSK were up 2.8% after the company announced CEO Emma Walmsley will step down Dec. 31 and be replaced by Luke Miels, currently GSK’s chief commercial officer.
Shares of Electronic Arts jumped 5.7% after it agreed to go private in a $55 billion buyout.
In energy trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil fell $1.29, nearly 2%, to $64.43 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, slipped $1.25 to $67.97 per barrel.
Reports that the OPEC-plus oil producing nations might raise their production limits next month have added to worries over oversupply, analysts said.
