MW : U.S. stock futures edge higher after Bernanke reports
S&P 500 futures rose 2.7 points to 1,027.20 and Nasdaq 100 futures added 3.75 points to 1,637.70. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 31 points.
U.S. stocks finished mostly lower on Monday, with the S&P 500 retreating a fraction of a point and the Nasdaq Composite down 2 points while the blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3 points.Tuesday's session is expected to feature the reappointment of Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve. President Obama will hail the former professor for helping the world economy avoid a depression, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
"I don't think the market is at all surprised. Why would you switch horses midstream with the expert of the Great Depression and the Japanese lost decade?" said Robert Howe, founder of Hong Kong-based Geomatrix. See full story.
Data on consumer confidence for August and the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index for June also will be released.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday cautioned against being "blindly optimistic" about the country's economic recovery, saying the boost from short-term policies may fade, while longer-term policies will take some time to have an impact.
On the corporate front, Burger King (BKC 18.30, +0.64, +3.62%) rose close to 4% in premarket trade after the fast-food chain topped analyst earnings forecasts, while Manitowoc (MTW 6.85, -0.04, -0.58%) fell nearly 6% as it's being kicked out of the S&P 500.
General Motors was back in the spotlight on reports it was seeking alternatives to German government financing of a takeover of its European-based Opel arm. Germany is reported to favor an Opel buyout led by Canada's Magna (MGA 44.95, -1.96, -4.18%) , while GM's board is more receptive to an offer from investment group RHJ International.
Ford Motor Co. (F 7.35, -0.06, -0.81%) slipped 1.4% in pre-market trade, extending Monday's retreat on the end of cash-for-clunkers. Analysts at ConvergEx said the government program was expensive but not a lemon as it cleaned out dealer inventories.
Overseas, the Shanghai Composite closed 2.6% lower, while Europe stocks nursed slight losses in late morning trade.
Oil futures, after hitting a 2009 high on Monday, edged lower, and the dollar index fell slightly.