By Michael P. Regan Feb. 18 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures extended declines after first-time claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly increased last week, spurring concern job losses will stifle the economic recovery. Futures on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index expiring in March fell 0.4 percent to 1,095.7 at 8:31 a.m. in New York. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures decreased 0.3 percent to 10,268. Futures fell earlier as a stronger dollar dragged down commodities and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s fourth-quarter comparable-store sales trailed its projection. U.S. stocks advanced yesterday, a day after the biggest rally since November for the S&P 500 Index, as better-than- estimated earnings, industrial production and housing data bolstered confidence in the economic recovery. The S&P 500 has fallen 4.4 percent from a 15-month high on Jan. 19 as widening fiscal gaps in Greece, Portugal and Spain spurred concern Europe faces another recession. The index is still up 63 percent from a 12-year low in March. A record nine-quarter earnings slump is projected by analysts to have ended in the fourth quarter with an 80 percent increase in S&P 500 profits. Forty-five companies in the index are scheduled to release results this week. More than 350 companies in the S&P 500 have reported fourth-quarter earnings since Jan. 11, and about three-quarters have beaten analysts’ estimates on a per-share basis, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

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