WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following the rally seen over the course of the
previous session, stocks may show a lack of direction in early trading on
Tuesday. The major index futures are currently pointing to a roughly flat open
for the markets, with the S&P 500 futures down by less than a tenth of a
percent.

The futures remained little changed after the Commerce Department released a
report showing retail sales in the U.S. inched up slightly less than expected in
the month of May.

The Commerce Department said retail sales crept up by 0.1 percent in May after
dipping by a revised 0.2 percent in April.

Economists had expected retail sales to rise by 0.2 percent compared to the
unchanged reading originally reported for the previous month.

Excluding an increase in sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers, retail sales
edged down by 0.1 percent in May after slipping by a revised 0.1 percent in
April.

Economists had expected ex-auto sales to climb by 0.2 percent, matching the
increase originally reported for the previous month.

Overall trading activity may be somewhat subdued ahead of the Juneteenth holiday
on Wednesday, when the markets will be closed.

However, it is worth noting, stocks showed a lack of direction in early trading
on Monday before significant buying interest emerged and lifted the markets to
new record highs.

Just before the start of trading, the Federal Reserve is scheduled to release
its report on industrial production in the month of May. Industrial production
is expected to rise by 0.3 percent in May after coming in unchanged in April.

The Commerce Department is also due to release its report on business
inventories in the month of April shortly after the start of trading. Business
inventories are expected to increase by 0.3 percent in April after edging down
by 0.1 percent in March.

Stocks showed a lack of direction early in the session on Monday but moved
notably higher over course of the trading day. The major averages all moved to
the upside, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reaching new record closing highs.

The major averages pulled back off their best levels going into the close but
remained firmly positive. The Nasdaq jumped 168.14 points or 1.0 percent to
17,857.02, the S&P 500 advanced 41.63 points or 0.8 percent to 5,473.23 and the
Dow climbed 188.94 points or 0.5 percent to 38,778.10.

In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region moved mostly
higher during trading on Tuesday. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 1.0
percent, while China's Shanghai Composite Index rose by 0.5 percent.

The major European markets have also moved to the upside on the day. While the
German DAX Index has risen by 0.3 percent, the French CAC 40 Index and the
U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index are both up by 0.5 percent.

In commodities trading, crude oil futures are inching up $0.03 to $80.36 a
barrel after surging $1.88 to $80.33 a barrel on Monday. Meanwhile, after
slumping $20.10 to $2,329 an ounce in the previous session, gold futures are
edging up $3.70 to $2,332.70 an ounce.

On the currency front, the U.S. dollar is trading at 157.73 yen compared to the
157.74 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Monday. Against the
euro, the dollar is valued at $1.0729 compared to yesterday's $1.0734.



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