US stock-index futures rose on Tuesday as investors digested another round of earnings reports, and awaited reports on housing and consumer confidence.
At 8:30 am ET, the S&P 500 futures rose 5.50 points to 1,336.30. The Dow Jones Industrial average futures increased 40 points to 12,467. The Nasdaq Composite futures advanced 8.50 points to 2,386.
Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) reported Tuesday that its first-quarter profit rose to $1.9 billion, or 82 cents a share, from $1.61 billion, or 69 cents, in the prior-year quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 86 cents a share in the latest quarter.Revenue rose 40% to $10.52 billion. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of 87 cents per share on revenue of $10.54 billion.
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) said Tuesday that its first-quarter profit climbed to $2.6 billion, or 61 cents a share, from $2.1 billion, or 50 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 62 cents a share in the latest quarter. Total company revenues rose to $33.1 billion from prior-year quarter's $28.1 billion. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of 50 cents per share on revenue of $30.64 billion.
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), the largest online retailer, is scheduled to release its first-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Tuesday, April 26, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 61 cents per share on revenue of $9.52 billion. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 66 cents per share on revenue of $7.13 billion.
On the economic front, the Conference Board will release its Consumer Confidence index for April shortly after the opening bell. Economists expect index to rose to 64.4 from 63.4 in March.
European stocks rose in afternoon trade. At 13:52 pm London Time, the UK FTSE rose 29.11 points, or 0.48%, to 6,047.41. The German DAX and French CAC increased 0.51% and 0.26% respectively.
Asian stocks finished lower. The Nikkei 225 fell 113.27 points, or 1.17%, to 9,558.69. The Hang Seng index of Hong Kong declined 130.93 points, or 0.54%, to 24,007.38.
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