By Adria Cimino Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures advanced before reports that may show a rebound in consumer spending and gains in durable goods orders and home sales. Newmont Mining Corp., the biggest U.S. gold producer, and Barrick Gold Corp. rose more than 1 percent as gold climbed to a record. Alcoa Inc., the largest U.S. aluminum producer, also gained in Europe. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures expiring in December added 0.4 percent to 1,107.8 as of 9:25 a.m. in London. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 0.3 percent to 10,439 and Nasdaq 100 Index futures increased 0.4 percent to 1,793.75. “Investors have been comforted by economic data,” said Guillaume Duchesne, Luxembourg-based equity strategist at Fortis Private Banking, which oversees about $117 billion. “Investors are convinced the market can go higher. The momentum is there.” U.S. stocks fell yesterday, pulling the Dow Average down from a 13-month high. Fewer than 7 billion shares changed hands on all U.S. exchanges, 23 percent below the three-month average as trading slowed before the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. The S&P 500 has soared 63 percent from a 12-year low on March 9, leaving the index valued at more than 22 times its companies’ reported operating earnings, near the highest level since 2002, according to weekly data compiled by Bloomberg. Consumer spending increased 0.5 percent after dropping by the same amount in September, according to the median estimate of 75 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Spending Report The Commerce Department’s spending report is due at 8:30 a.m. in Washington. Another report, also due at 8:30 a.m., is forecast to show orders for durable goods, those meant to last at least three years, probably rose 0.5 percent in October after a 1.4 percent rise, the first back-to-back increase since May, according to the median survey estimate. A Commerce Department report at 10 a.m. may show purchases of new houses rose 0.5 percent last month to a 404,000 annual pace, according to the Bloomberg survey median. Federal Reserve policy makers yesterday raised their forecast for 2010 economic growth to a range of 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent, from a previous projection of 2.1 percent to 3.3 percent. Newmont Mining advanced 1 percent to $53.91 in Germany. Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold producer, increased 1.5 percent to $43.90. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the world’s largest publicly traded copper producer, climbed 0.6 percent to $86.12. Alcoa added 2.1 percent to $13.19. Metals Advance Gold climbed to a record as the Financial Chronicle newspaper reported India may buy more bullion for its central bank reserves. Copper, lead, nickel and tin were among metals increasing in London. Halliburton Co. slipped 0.8 percent to $30.22. The world’s second-largest oilfield-services provider said a drop in business from its primary customer in Mexico, Petróleos Mexicanos, would cut earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2009 by about 2 cents. Deere & Co. may be active. The world’s largest maker of agricultural equipment is expected to report earnings before the market opens. Tiffany & Co., the second-largest luxury jeweler, also reports earnings before the start of trading today. Tiffany shares gained 0.3 percent in Europe. To contact the reporter on this story: Adria Cimino in Paris at acimino1@bloomberg.net.

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