US Stock Futures Rise After GE, Microsoft Earnings

(REUTERS) -- Stock index futures rose on Friday, indicating the S&P 500 may snap a 2-day decline, after quarterly results from Microsoft and General Electric Co. propelled a solid earnings season.

GE reported an 11.6 percent profit decline, weighed down by a charge from exiting an Irish mortgage business. The largest U.S. conglomerate showed earnings growth across most businesses. GE gained 0.7 percent to $19.27 in premarket trading.

After the close Thursday, Microsoft Corp. posted profits that beat estimates as personal computer sales held up better than expected.

Kimberly-Clark Corp. posted higher quarterly profit as the maker of Kleenex tissues and Huggies diapers trimmed costs to deal with some weakness.

Industrial products maker Ingersoll Rand Plc also reported results early Friday and provided a full-year outlook.

Other major companies due to announce results Friday included McDonald's Corp., Gilead Sciences Inc. and Honeywell International Inc.

Of the 105 S&P 500 components reporting to date, 81.9 percent beat analysts' expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data.

S&P 500 futures rose 5.4 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 62 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 11.5 points.

Oilfield services company Schlumberger NV's profit rose on improved deepwater activity and global exploration in several regions.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. climbed 1.6 percent to $8.10 premarket as the chipmaker forecast revenue above expectations late Thursday in another sign that PC demand was holding up better than anticipated.

Healthcare group Johnson & Johnson, which secured European Union clearance Thursday to purchase Swiss medical device maker Synthes Inc for about $21 billion, expects to close the deal in the current quarter.

In Europe, a rebound in bank shares offset losses in the technology and energy sectors and kept a key equities index on track for its first weekly gain in nearly a month.

Asian shares fell after disappointing economic data stirred doubts about the strength of the recovery.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)