OVERNIGHT

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Japanese stocks extended their gains in early Thursday action, helped by some strong earnings and a weaker yen. The Nikkei Stock Average was 0.7% firmer in initial moves, adding to a 1.5% rise a day earlier, while the Topix also added 0.7%. Helping underpin the market was a bump up for the U.S. dollar after what some economists saw as a hawkish tone to the Federal Reserve policy statement out overnight. Early in Tokyo session, the greenback was changing hands at ¥108.94, up from around ¥108.11 at the previous close.

US companies reporting later today include:

  Q3 2014 Avon Products Inc                 
  Q3 2014 ConocoPhillips                    
  Q3 2014 Kellogg Co.                       
  Q4 2014 Starbucks                         
  Q3 2014 Time Warner Cable Inc