Investing.com - U.S. stock futures were lower, as markets eyed the release of U.S. consumer confidence data for signs of further economic recovery while Monday’s rally caused by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s dovish comments began to subside.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.12%, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.16% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.10% decline.
Fed Chairman Bernanke fanned speculation over the possibility of a third round of easing from the central bank after saying on Monday that further monetary accommodation is needed to bring about big gains in the U.S. jobs market, which he described as “far from normal,” despite a recent improvement.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious amid concerns over Spanish borrowing costs ahead of the country’s budget statement on Friday, amid fears that the government will pull back on imposing harsh austerity measures in the face of a looming recession.
Financial stocks were expected to be active following a broad rally posted by European lenders. In pre-market trade, Bank of America shares tumbled 1.01% and Citigroup edged 0.08% lower.
Citigroup is currently cutting its ownership in Akbank, Turkey’s second-biggest listed bank by market value, as it sheds assets around the world, including India and China, to meet capital requirements.
Pharmaceuticals were also slated to be in focus after Bausch & Lomb agreed to buy Ista Pharmaceuticals for about USD500 million in cash. Ista’s shares surged 7.88% in pre-market trade.
Meanwhile, OpNext Inc. skyrocketed 50.44% after the maker of optical components agreed to merge with Oclaro Inc.
Also in company news, homebuilder Lennar Corp reported a sharp rise in first-quarter orders and said it saw strong signs of improvement in sales activity, sending shares up 3.60% in pre-market trade.
Elsewhere, Apollo Group was also set to move after the for-profit U.S. college said late Monday that enrollments could decline sharply as it struggles to attract students amid strict admission policies. The company also affirmed its 2012 outlook.
Other stocks in focus included Walgreen, due to report quarterly earnings before the opening bell.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 edged down 0.09%, France’s CAC 40 declined 0.43%, Germany's DAX added 0.28%, while Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.23%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.5%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.4%.
Later Tuesday, the U.S. was to release a report on consumer confidence, as well as industry data on house price inflation.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a loss of 0.12%, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.16% fall, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.10% decline.
Fed Chairman Bernanke fanned speculation over the possibility of a third round of easing from the central bank after saying on Monday that further monetary accommodation is needed to bring about big gains in the U.S. jobs market, which he described as “far from normal,” despite a recent improvement.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious amid concerns over Spanish borrowing costs ahead of the country’s budget statement on Friday, amid fears that the government will pull back on imposing harsh austerity measures in the face of a looming recession.
Financial stocks were expected to be active following a broad rally posted by European lenders. In pre-market trade, Bank of America shares tumbled 1.01% and Citigroup edged 0.08% lower.
Citigroup is currently cutting its ownership in Akbank, Turkey’s second-biggest listed bank by market value, as it sheds assets around the world, including India and China, to meet capital requirements.
Pharmaceuticals were also slated to be in focus after Bausch & Lomb agreed to buy Ista Pharmaceuticals for about USD500 million in cash. Ista’s shares surged 7.88% in pre-market trade.
Meanwhile, OpNext Inc. skyrocketed 50.44% after the maker of optical components agreed to merge with Oclaro Inc.
Also in company news, homebuilder Lennar Corp reported a sharp rise in first-quarter orders and said it saw strong signs of improvement in sales activity, sending shares up 3.60% in pre-market trade.
Elsewhere, Apollo Group was also set to move after the for-profit U.S. college said late Monday that enrollments could decline sharply as it struggles to attract students amid strict admission policies. The company also affirmed its 2012 outlook.
Other stocks in focus included Walgreen, due to report quarterly earnings before the opening bell.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 edged down 0.09%, France’s CAC 40 declined 0.43%, Germany's DAX added 0.28%, while Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.23%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.5%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.4%.
Later Tuesday, the U.S. was to release a report on consumer confidence, as well as industry data on house price inflation.