Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

S&P futures 2014 08 27
Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

Will it be yet another record-setting day on Wall Street?

Here are the four things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Stocks are on fire: U.S. stock futures were stable Wednesday morning, a day after the S&P 500 closed above 2,000 for the first time ever.

If investor sentiment remains strong, it's possible the benchmark index could surpass its latest record-setting high.

U.S. stocks advanced Tuesday. The Dow tacked on nearly 30 points, the S&P 500 was up 0.1%, and the Nasdaq was 0.3% higher.

2. Geopolitics: The new Israel-Hamas ceasefire could give investors confidence Wednesday. Israel's benchmark index was higher in early trading.

Meanwhile, talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko over Ukraine have concluded.

The Russian Micex index was up by about 0.7% in early trading. Russia's equity and currency markets have taken a hit this year after Western nations levied sanctions.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

3. Earnings: Brown-Forman (BFA)and Tiffany & Co. (TIF) will report earnings before the opening bell, while retailers Guess (GES) and Williams-Sonoma (WSM) will report after the close.

Shares in gun maker Smith & Wesson (SWHC) plunged by as much as 15% in extended trading after the company said quarterly sales were dragged down by a shrinking demand for rifles.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

4. International markets overview: European markets were looking anemic in early trading as investors reacted to weaker-than-expected economic data.

Asian markets all closed higher, except for the Hang Seng in Hong Kong, which dipped by 0.6%.

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