– The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a moderately higher opening on Tuesday, as traders are likely to go bargain hunting following the sell-off that was seen in the previous session. While strength in the global markets and an increase in commodities prices may also push stocks higher, buying interest may be somewhat subdued amid a light day on the corporate news front. A report on new home sales in the month of April could impact trading not long after the open.
Stocks moved sharply lower at the start of trading on Monday and saw continued weakness throughout the trading session, as investors expressed renewed concerns about the financial situation in Europe and its potential impact on the global economic recovery. While the major averages did not see much follow-through on the initial downward move, they remained stuck firmly in the red.
() - The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a slightly lower opening on Friday despite expectations that bargain hunting will support the markets following three straight sessions of losses. Economic data released from across the Atlantic were encouraging, with most economies in the euro zone region reporting forecast-beating economic growth for the second quarter. However, a Commerce Department report released earlier in the day showed that retail sales in the U.S. rose slightly less than economists’ expectations.
The inner details of the report were largely negative, with most retail categories showing softness. The data is likely to stir concerns about consumer spending and against this backdrop, the consumer sentiment report to be released shortly after the markets open assumes importance.
U.S. stocks extended their losses on Thursday, as economic data released during the day did little to improve sentiment.