By Julie Cruz Dec. 28 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures gained, indicating the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index may extend its longest winning streak in almost two months, on growing evidence that the global economy is recovering. Exxon Mobil Corp., the biggest U.S. oil company, and Barrick Gold Corp., the world’s largest producer of the precious metal, climbed in Germany as crude traded near $78 a barrel and gold prices rose. International Business Machines Corp. gained as Barron’s said the company will focus on expanding in emerging markets and work on combining information technology with infrastructure projects. Futures on the S&P 500 expiring in March added 0.1 percent to 1,123.30 as of 10:27 a.m. in London. Dow Jones Industrial Average Index futures rose 0.1 percent to 10,476 and Nasdaq-100 Index futures advanced 0.4 percent to 1,874.75. China raised its 2008 growth estimate to 9.6 percent from 9 percent and said this year’s quarterly figures will also increase, narrowing the gap with Japan, the world’s second- biggest economy. Japan’s Cabinet Office said the economy will expand for the first time in three years and that industrial production improved for a ninth month in November. U.S. reports this week may show the plunge in home prices probably eased further and consumer confidence climbed. “The end of the year should be positive,” said Jacques- Pascal Porta, a fund manager at Ofi Patrimoine in Paris, which oversees about $425 million in equities. “If economic data are good tomorrow and they probably will be, it should have a positive impact on the market despite low volumes.” Economy Watch Property values in 20 metropolitan areas probably fell 7.1 percent in October from a year earlier, the smallest 12-month drop since 2007, according to the median forecast of 29 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News before a Dec. 29 report from S&P/Case-Shiller. Household sentiment improved in December for a second month, another report the same day may show. The U.S. economy next year will turn in its best performance since 2004 as spending perks up and companies increase investment and hiring, said Dean Maki, the most- accurate forecaster in a Bloomberg News survey. The world’s largest economy will expand 3.5 percent in 2010, according to Maki, the chief U.S. economist at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York. The rebound in stocks and rising incomes will prompt Americans to do what they do best -- consume, said Maki, a former economist at the Federal Reserve. Rebound Since March The S&P 500 has added 67 percent since March after governments around the world enacted stimulus measures and the U.S. lent, spent or guaranteed more than $11 trillion to end the recession. The gauge is up 25 percent this year, the largest annual gain since 2003, and rose to a 15-month high last week. Exxon gained 1.1 percent to $69.44. Crude oil was little changed after reaching its highest price in almost four weeks as colder-than-normal weather in the U.S. increased demand for heating fuels. Barrick Gold added 0.9 percent to $40.71 as the metal rebounded from a weekly decline. IBM, the world’s largest computer-services provider, rose 0.4 percent to $131.11 in Germany. About 2 billion people may enter the middle class by 2030, move to cities and start using more computers and networks, Barron’s said. That “creates the next level of growth opportunity called ‘smart,’” IBM Chief Executive Officer Sam Palmisano told the weekly newspaper in its Dec. 28 edition. Dollar, Yen Qualcomm Inc. fell 0.7 percent to $45.80 in Germany. The world’s biggest maker of chips for mobile phones said Len Lauer, chief operating officer, has resigned and accepted a job as chief executive officer at another company. The dollar rose for the first time in four days against the yen on speculation U.S. companies are bringing back earnings on overseas assets before the year ends. Brown-Forman Corp.’s Paul Varga and Johnson & Johnson’s William Weldon are among chief executive officers left behind in the 2009 stock-market rebound even after they created the most value for their companies. Brown-Forman, maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and Southern Comfort liqueur; J&J, the world’s largest health-products company; and 30 other S&P 500 companies rallied less than 10 percent this year as their managers posted better- than-average sales and efficiently invested capital, data compiled by Bloomberg show. To contact the reporter on this story: Julie Cruz in Frankfurt at jcruz6@bloomberg.net

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