WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The major U.S. index futures are currently pointing
to higher open on Tuesday, with stocks likely to extend the rebound seen in the
previous session.

Traders may continue to look to pick up stocks at relatively reduced levels amid
a positive reaction to some of the latest corporate earnings news.

Shares of General Motors (GM) are moving sharply higher in pre-market trading
after the auto giant reported first quarter results that exceeded analyst
estimates on both the top and bottom lines.

Snack and beverage giant PepsiCo (PEP) is also likely to see initial strength
after reporting better than expected first quarter results.

On the other hand, shares of JetBlue (JBLU) are seeing substantial pre-market
weakness after the airline reported a narrower than expected first quarter loss
but lowered its 2024 revenue forecast.

Delivery giant UPS (UPS) may also move to the downside after reporting first
quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates but weaker than expected sales.

U.S. stocks climbed higher on Monday, with those from the technology sector
turning in a fine performance, as traders indulged in some bargain hunting after
recent losses. Easing worries about Middle East tensions helped underpin
sentiment.

The major averages all closed on a firm note. The Dow ended with a gain of
253.78 points or 0.7 percent at 38,239.98, more than 200 points off the day's
high of 38,447.16.

The S&P 500, which climbed to a high of 5,038.84, settled at 5,010.60, gaining
43.37 points or 0.9 percent, while the Nasdaq ended higher by 169.30 points or
1.1 percent at 15,451.31, off the day's high of 15,539.00.

The market gained amid slightly easing fears of a wider Middle East conflict
after Iran and Israel completed 'measured' counterattacks that were calibrated
to avoid any casualties. A bit of bargain hunting is contributing as well to the
market's rise.

Investors awaited a slew of key U.S. economic data this week, including reports
on new home sales, durable goods orders and personal income and spending.

The Commerce Department's personal income and spending report includes readings
on inflation said to be preferred by the Federal Reserve.

Earnings season also starts to pick up steam this week, with Tesla (TSLA),
Boeing (BA), IBM (IBM), Caterpillar (CAT), Honeywell (HON), Alphabet (GOOGL),
Intel (INTC), Microsoft (MSFT), Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM) among the
companies due to report their quarterly results.

Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase climbed 3.3% percent and about 2%,
respectively. Procter & Gamble gained 1.5 percent.

Amazon, McDonald, Chevron, Amgen and Walmart gained 1 to 1.5 percent.

Salesforce.com shares gained more than 1 percent after the company backed away
from its talks to acquire data-management software firm Informatica.

Ford Motor rallied more than 6 percent. United Airlines Holdings gained about 5
percent. Nvidia climbed 4.35 percent. Citigroup, Delta Airlines, Seagate
Technology, Moderna and American Airlines also ended sharply higher.

Verizon ended 4.7 percent down. The company, which announced weak profit and
slightly higher revenues in its first quarter, maintained its fiscal 2024
earnings outlook. For 2024, Verizon continues to expect adjusted earnings per
share of $4.50 to $4.70.

Tesla drifted down 3.4 percent, on concerns over gross margins after the company
lowered prices in several markets.

Commodity, Currency Markets

Crude oil futures are falling $0.72 to $81.18 a barrel. Meanwhile, gold futures
are slumping $24.5 to $2,321.90 an ounce.

On the currency front, the U.S. dollar is trading at 154.79 yen compared to the
154.85 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Monday. Against the
euro, the dollar is valued at $1.0667 compared to yesterday's $1.0655.

Asia

Asian stocks turned in a mixed performance on Tuesday as investors watched the
latest developments in the Middle East and looked forward to earnings results
from U.S. titans including Amazon, Apple, Netflix and General Motors for
directional cues.

Key U.S. growth and inflation data also remained on investors' radar ahead of
the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting on April 30-May 1.

The dollar index was sluggish while gold moved further away from its record high
of $2,430 per ounce in an apparent easing of Iran-Israel tensions after the
rivals launched missile attacks against each other.

Crude oil prices edged up slightly as EU foreign ministers agreed in principle
to expand sanctions on Iran.

Chinese shares fell notably after reports that the head of its central bank
wants creditors engaged in debt restructurings for emerging market countries to
agree on how to fairly share the burden of relief.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.7 percent to 3,021.98, while
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rallied 1.9 percent to 16,828.93 after a pledge by
China's securities regulator to bolster the market.

Japanese markets eked out modest gains, the yen edged up slightly from a 34-year
low and bond yields surged to multi-year highs after a senior ruling party
official said that authorities could intervene to support the currency.

The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3 percent to 37,552.16 ahead of the Bank of Japan's
policy-setting meeting, due at the end of this week.

The broader Topix Index settled 0.1 percent higher at 2,666.23 as a survey
showed Japanese manufacturing activity came close to breaking back into
expansionary territory in April.

Seoul stocks edged down slightly, with the Kospi ending down 0.2 percent at
2,623.02 after a choppy session. Battery maker LG Energy Solution fell 2.3
percent while KB Financial Group shares rose a little over 1 percent.

Australian markets closed higher, lifted by heavyweight financials. The
benchmark S&P ASX 200 Index rose 0.5 percent to 7,683.50, while the broader All
Ordinaries Index settled 0.5 percent higher at 7,937.90.

Westpac Banking Corp gained 0.9 percent despite flagging a hit to its half-year
earnings. Gold miners slid the most, with Northern Star Resources losing 3.5
percent and Regis Resources tumbling 4.6 percent.

Logistics firm Brambles plunged 6.3 percent after posting a fall in
third-quarter group volumes.

Europe

European stocks have moved higher on Tuesday after a survey showed that business
activity in the euro zone expanded at its fastest pace in nearly a year this
month.

The composite PMI increased from 50.3 to 51.4 in April on the back of a buoyant
recovery in the bloc's dominant service sector.

Elsewhere in the U.K., a survey showed private sector activity in the country
expanded for the sixth consecutive month in April. The composite PMI rose from
52.8 to 54.0, hitting an 11-month high.

Expectations of interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank and the Bank of
England also helped underpin investor sentiment.

While the German DAX Index is up by 0.9 percent, the French CAC 40 Index is up
by 0.3 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index is nearly unchanged.

Kuehne + Nagel International, a Swiss transport and logistics company, declined
2.6 percent after its first-quarter earnings fell 40 percent.

Drug major Novartis AG surged 4.7 percent after raising its full-year guidance.

JD Sports Fashion jumped more than 6 percent in London after it proposed to buy
Hibbett in a deal that values the American sporting-goods retailer at $1.08
billion.

Mining giant Anglo American tumbled 3.5 percent after cutting its diamond
production guidance.

Associated British Foods soared 9.5 percent. The Primark owner lifted its annual
profit guidance after reporting a 39 percent jump in first-half profit.

Home builder Taylor Wimpey rose about 1 percent after reaffirming its outlook
for 2024.

France's Renault SA fell about 1 percent as the auto major reported a marginal
rise in revenue for the first quarter.

SAP AG shares surged 3.5 percent. The German software maker reaffirmed its
outlook for 2024 after Q! cloud revenue increased 24 percent to 3.93 billion
euro.

U.S. Economic Reports

The Commerce Department is due to release its report on new home sales in the
month of March at 10 am ET. Economists expect new home sales to rise to an
annual rate of 668,000 in March after dipping to a rate of 662,000 in February.

At 1 pm ET, the Treasury Department is scheduled to announce the results of this
month's auction of $69 billion worth of two-year notes.



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