Stock index futures signal gains; data eyed
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher opening on Wall Street on Wednesday ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, with investors awaiting a slew of economic data.
At 1000 GMT (5 a.m. EST), futures for the S&P 500,the Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq were up 0.4 to 0.5 percent.
At 1330 GMT (8:30 a.m. EST), the Commerce Department is scheduled to release personal income and consumption data for October. Economists in a Reuters survey expect a rise of 0.1 percent in income and a 0.5 percent increase in spending. In the previous month, income was unchanged and spending dipped by 0.5 percent.
The Commerce Department also releases October durable goods orders at 1330 GMT (8:30 a.m. EST), with economists in a Reuters survey expecting a 0.5 increase versus a 1.4 percent rise in September.
The Labor Department releases first-time claims for jobless benefits for the week ended November 21 at 1330 GMT (8:30 a.m. EST). Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a total of 500,000 new filings compared with 505,000 in the prior week.
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At 1455 GMT (10:55 a.m. EST), Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers releases its final November consumer sentiment index. Economists in a Reuters survey expect a reading of 67.0 compared with 70.6 in the final October report.
The Commerce Department releases new home sales for October. Economists is a Reuters survey forecast a total of 410,000 annualized units in the month compared with 402,000 in September.
Calpers, the biggest U.S. public pension fund, is considering dumping asset manager BlackRock Inc
As much as $7 trillion of debt piled up by banks falls due by the end of 2012, which could force them to refinance their borrowings at a higher cost, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a Moody's Investors Service report.
Shares in Halliburton
European shares rose on Wednesday, boosted by a revised U.S. growth forecast for 2010 by the Federal Reserve, with miners featuring among the top gainers.
By 1000 GMT (5 a.m. EST), the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top shares was up 0.7 percent at 1,023.93 points.
U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday on lackluster economic data in a session marked by low volume and choppy trading, but losses eased after the Federal Reserve raised its expectations for growth in 2010.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 0.2 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> inched down 0.05 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 0.3 percent.
(Reporting by Joanne Frearson; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
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