By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures indicated a higher
open on Wall Street on Tuesday, ahead of inflation and housing
data.
Earnings reports from Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald's Corp., among
others, will come premarket, while Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
report after the closing bell.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJU4) rose 51
points, or 0.3%, to 17,034, while those for the S&P 500 index
(SPU4) picked up 5.60 points, or 0.3%, to 1,971.90. Futures for the
Nasdaq 100 index (NDU4) climbed 13.25 points, or 0.3%, to
3,939.00.
Investors are facing a busy day both on the data and the
corporate front, with second-quarter results set to come through
thick and fast.
The highlight among the economic news is expected to be the June
inflation report, due at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. It is forecast to
show consumer prices rose 0.3% in June, slower than the 0.4%
reported in May. Rising gasoline and food prices likely drove the
expected increase in consumer prices, according to economic
forecasts.
Later Tuesday morning, the National Association of Realtors will
report on existing-home sales at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Economists
expect an annual rate of 5 million for June, compared with a 4.89
million pace in May. The FHFA house-price index is also due in the
morning.
A raft of earnings reports should help set the tone for the
trading day. Ahead of the bell, Coca-Cola (KO) is expected to
report second-quarter earnings of 63 cents per share.
McDonald's (MCD) is forecast to report second-quarter earnings
of $1.44 per share, and investors are looking at how it plans to
reverse the ongoing decline in U.S. sales.
Also out in premarket hours and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) and United
Technologies Corp. (UTX) report second-quarter results.
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) said second-quarter profit grew
sharply thanks to its recent acquisition of Verizon Wireless.
One headline earnings report, however, isn't out until after the
closing bell. Apple (AAPL) will release fiscal third-quarter
results, and it is forecast to have earned $1.23 a share for the
quarter ended in June, which reflects the 7-for-1 stock split that
took effect June 9. During the same period a year ago, Apple earned
a pre-split $7.47 a share.
Microsoft (MSFT) also reports after the markets close. Also
read: Apple, Microsoft to awaken 'comfortably numb' markets.
Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) slid 3.9% ahead of the open, set to extend
losses from Monday when shares tumbled after activist investor Bill
Ackman said he plans to deliver a "deathblow" to the company, by
exposing it as a "massive fraud." The presentation is planned for
Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) lost 1.6% in premarket trade after
Citigroup cut its view on the online retailer to neutral from
buy.
In other company news, CIT Group Inc. (CIT) said it will buy
OneWest Bank for $3.4 billion in cash and stock.
Aside from corporate and data news, the conflict between Russia
and Ukraine remains in the spotlight. Joao Monteiro, analyst at
Valutrades, said in a note that the recent developments in the
standoff are seen as generally positive for stocks. Pro-Russia
separatists have handed over the black boxes from the downed
Malaysia Airlines plane to Malaysian authorities and have agreed to
send victims' bodies to the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are gathering in
Brussels on Tuesday to discuss further sanctions on Russia
following the incident.
U.S. stock markets closed lower on Monday, as investors remained
jittery amid escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and the
possibility of tougher sanctions on Russia.
In Tuesday's trade, European and Asian equity markets were
gaining. Oil futures (CLQ4) continued to rise, while metals prices
(GCQ4)were mostly lower. The dollar advanced against most
rivals.
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