AT&T, SBC results to help set tone for stock market's day; investors assess TI profit.
Telecommunications could be the key to whether U.S. stocks continue to rally Tuesday, as investors consider expected results from Dow components AT&T and SBC and a positive earnings report from specialty chipmaker Texas Instruments.
At 5:30 a.m. ET, futures indicated a higher open for the major U.S. indexes.
AT&T (T: Research, Estimates), the No. 1 provider of long-distance phone services, is expected to post third-quarter income of 53 cents a share, up from 30 cents a year earlier. The company's comments will be viewed for signs of renewed strength in the telecom sector.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, AT&T was up 1.7 percent early Tuesday.
Another Dow component, SBC Communications (SBC: Research, Estimates), also comes out before trading begins. The company's earnings are forecast to have slipped to 39 cents a share from 51 cents a year earlier.
Also due before the market open are German-American automaker DaimlerChrysler (DCX: Research, Estimates) and package deliverer UPS (UPS: Research, Estimates).
Late Monday, specialty chipmaker Texas Instruments (TXN: Research, Estimates) posted better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and sales, and said the market for semiconductors "has rebuilt momentum." Shares of TI rose more than 7 percent in after-hours trading Monday.
The Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq composite index managed some late-day momentum to finish higher Monday; the Dow gained 0.6 percent, while the Nasdaq was 0.7 percent higher (see chart for details).
Asian-Pacific stocks ended mostly higher, but Japan's Nikkei index was down 1.2 percent. European markets advanced in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
Treasury prices were little changed, with the 10-year note yield at 4.38 percent. The dollar, lifted Monday by comments from Treasury Secretary John Snow, pulled back again against the yen and euro.
Brent oil futures gained 23 cents to $28.85 a barrel in London, where gold was higher in early trading.
Telecommunications could be the key to whether U.S. stocks continue to rally Tuesday, as investors consider expected results from Dow components AT&T and SBC and a positive earnings report from specialty chipmaker Texas Instruments.
At 5:30 a.m. ET, futures indicated a higher open for the major U.S. indexes.
AT&T (T: Research, Estimates), the No. 1 provider of long-distance phone services, is expected to post third-quarter income of 53 cents a share, up from 30 cents a year earlier. The company's comments will be viewed for signs of renewed strength in the telecom sector.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, AT&T was up 1.7 percent early Tuesday.
Another Dow component, SBC Communications (SBC: Research, Estimates), also comes out before trading begins. The company's earnings are forecast to have slipped to 39 cents a share from 51 cents a year earlier.
Also due before the market open are German-American automaker DaimlerChrysler (DCX: Research, Estimates) and package deliverer UPS (UPS: Research, Estimates).
Late Monday, specialty chipmaker Texas Instruments (TXN: Research, Estimates) posted better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and sales, and said the market for semiconductors "has rebuilt momentum." Shares of TI rose more than 7 percent in after-hours trading Monday.
The Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq composite index managed some late-day momentum to finish higher Monday; the Dow gained 0.6 percent, while the Nasdaq was 0.7 percent higher (see chart for details).
Asian-Pacific stocks ended mostly higher, but Japan's Nikkei index was down 1.2 percent. European markets advanced in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
Treasury prices were little changed, with the 10-year note yield at 4.38 percent. The dollar, lifted Monday by comments from Treasury Secretary John Snow, pulled back again against the yen and euro.
Brent oil futures gained 23 cents to $28.85 a barrel in London, where gold was higher in early trading.
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