Investors Get Set For a Treat -- New Record Highs At The Open

The surge in stock futures, which extends that global market rally starting in Japan, suggests investors will be treated to a number of record highs at the open. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average are running up 191 points, which implies the Dow will open around 17386, or above Sept. 19 all-time closing and intraday highs of 17279.74 and 17350.64, respectively. A close above 17279.74 would be the Dow's 19th record high this year. S&P 500 futures are climbing 22.25, which indicates the index will open near 2017. That's above the Sept. 18 record-high close of 2011.36, which was the 34th record this year, but below the Sept. 19 all-time intraday high of 2019.26. The PowerShares QQQ , the ETF that tracks the Nasdaq 100, is up 1.4% in premarket trade at $101.40, which puts it on course to open at the highest level since Sept. 5, 2000. Apple's stock , the QQQs most heavily-weighted component, is up 0.9% premarket at $107.99, above Wednesday's all-time closing and intraday highs of $107.34 and $107.37, respectively.