WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following the mixed performance seen in the previous
session, stocks are poised to move to the upside in early trading on Tuesday.
The major index futures are currently pointing to a modestly higher open for the
markets, with the S&P 500 futures up by 0.2 percent.

Stocks may benefit from optimism about the outlook for interest rates ahead of
several key economic events this week.

However, early trading is likely to be impacted by reaction to remarks by
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who is due to deliver his semi-annual
monetary policy testimony before the Senate Banking Committee this morning.

Powell is also scheduled to testify before the House Financial Services
Committee on Wednesday, with his remarks potentially having a significant impact
on the outlook for rates.

Later in the week, the Labor Department is scheduled to release reports on
consumer and producer price inflation, which could have an even more profound
impact on interest rate expectations.

If the report on consumer prices shows an expected slowdown in the annual rate
of price growth, it could bolster optimism about a rate cut in September.

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Monday, turning a bit sluggish after a fairly good
start. Among the major averages, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 moved on to new
record highs, while the Dow ended in negative territory.

The Dow edged down 31.08 points or 0.1 percent to 39,344.79. The S&P 500 ended
higher by 5.66 points or 0.1 percent to 5,572.85, while the Nasdaq rose 50.98
points or 0.3 percent to 18,403.74.

In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region moved mostly
higher during trading on Tuesday. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index surged by 2.0
percent, while China's Shanghai Composite Index jumped by 1.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the major European markets have moved to the downside on the day.
While the French CAC 40 Index has slumped by 0.9 percent, the German DAX Index
is down by 0.5 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index is down by 0.3 percent.

In commodities trading, crude oil futures are slipping $0.43 to $81.90 a barrel
after sliding $0.83 to $82.33 a barrel on Monday. Meanwhile, after plunging
$34.20 to $2363.50 an ounce in the previous session, gold futures are inching up
$3.90 to $2,367.40 an ounce.

On the currency front, the U.S. dollar is trading at 161.08 yen compared to the
160.83 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Monday. Against the
euro, the dollar is valued at $1.0813 compared to yesterday's $1.0824.



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