U.S. Equity Futures Point to Higher Open on Wall Street

U.S. stock futures indicated a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, ahead of inflation and housing data.

Earnings reports from Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald's Corp., among others, will come premarket, while Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. report after the closing bell.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJU4) rose 51 points, or 0.3%, to 17,034, while those for the S&P 500 index (SPU4) picked up 5.60 points, or 0.3%, to 1,971.90. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index (NDU4) climbed 13.25 points, or 0.3%, to 3,939.00.

Investors are facing a busy day both on the data and the corporate front, with second-quarter results set to come through thick and fast.

The highlight among the economic news is expected to be the June inflation report, due at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. It is forecast to show consumer prices rose 0.3% in June, slower than the 0.4% reported in May. Rising gasoline and food prices likely drove the expected increase in consumer prices, according to economic forecasts.

Later Tuesday morning, the National Association of Realtors will report on existing-home sales at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Economists expect an annual rate of 5 million for June, compared with a 4.89 million pace in May. The FHFA house-price index is also due in the morning.

A raft of earnings reports should help set the tone for the trading day. Ahead of the bell, Coca-Cola (KO) is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 63 cents per share.

McDonald's (MCD) is forecast to report second-quarter earnings of $1.44 per share, and investors are looking at how it plans to reverse the ongoing decline in U.S. sales.

Also out in premarket hours and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) and United Technologies Corp. (UTX) report second-quarter results.

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) said second-quarter profit grew sharply thanks to its recent acquisition of Verizon Wireless.

One headline earnings report, however, isn't out until after the closing bell. Apple (AAPL) will release fiscal third-quarter results, and it is forecast to have earned $1.23 a share for the quarter ended in June, which reflects the 7-for-1 stock split that took effect June 9. During the same period a year ago, Apple earned a pre-split $7.47 a share.

Microsoft (MSFT) also reports after the markets close. Also read: Apple, Microsoft to awaken 'comfortably numb' markets.

Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) slid 3.9% ahead of the open, set to extend losses from Monday when shares tumbled after activist investor Bill Ackman said he plans to deliver a "deathblow" to the company, by exposing it as a "massive fraud." The presentation is planned for Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) lost 1.6% in premarket trade after Citigroup cut its view on the online retailer to neutral from buy.

In other company news, CIT Group Inc. (CIT) said it will buy OneWest Bank for $3.4 billion in cash and stock.

Aside from corporate and data news, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains in the spotlight. Joao Monteiro, analyst at Valutrades, said in a note that the recent developments in the standoff are seen as generally positive for stocks. Pro-Russia separatists have handed over the black boxes from the downed Malaysia Airlines plane to Malaysian authorities and have agreed to send victims' bodies to the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss further sanctions on Russia following the incident.

U.S. stock markets closed lower on Monday, as investors remained jittery amid escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and the possibility of tougher sanctions on Russia.

In Tuesday's trade, European and Asian equity markets were gaining. Oil futures (CLQ4) continued to rise, while metals prices (GCQ4)were mostly lower. The dollar advanced against most rivals.