Stocks futures point to gains to start 2010

[January 04, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks appear headed for a higher opening on the first day of trading in the new year following the lead of overseas markets. Stock futures rose Monday.

Asian markets received a boost after new data showed China's manufacturing sector expanded at its fastest rate in 20 months in December. European markets also rose.

In the U.S., investors will receive key data throughout the week that could show the economic recovery is continuing, including a report on manufacturing Monday. Ongoing signs of a rebound helped the market surge during the final nine months of 2009 from its 12-year lows.

The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index is expected to show modest growth in the sector last month. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, forecast the ISM's index for December will increase to 54 from 53.6 a month earlier.

The report is due out at 10 a.m. EST.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 59, or 0.6 percent, to 10,424. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 7.30, or 0.7 percent, to 1,118.00, while Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 20.50, or 1.1 percent, to 1,879.25.

On Friday, the Labor Department releases its monthly employment report. Considered the biggest economic report of the month, it will likely set the early tone for trading in 2010.

Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters are forecasting that 23,000 jobs were lost, a further signal that the job market is starting to stabilize. The government said employers cut just 11,000 jobs in November, far fewer than anticipated. That pushed the unemployment rate down to 10 percent.

Stocks closed out 2009 on a down note, with major indexes all falling around 1 percent in light, holiday-shortened trading on Thursday. The market was closed Friday for the New Year's holiday.

An upbeat reading on weekly jobless claims sparked concerns the government would have to cut stimulus measures in the coming months, such as low interest rates, to help avoid potential inflation. A much stronger than expected report Friday on monthly employment could stoke similar concerns.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Sunday he wouldn't rule out higher interest rates to stop new speculative investment bubbles from forming. However, he did say stronger regulation is the best way to avoid such bubbles that helped push the economy into recession.

Meanwhile, bond prices fell Monday. Bond prices, which are often used to price interest rates on consumer loans, often fall when investors worry about inflation, which eats into fixed returns on government-backed bonds.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.85 percent from 3.84 percent late Thursday. The yield on the three-month T-bill, considered one of the safest investments, rose to 0.07 percent from 0.05 percent.

The dollar fell against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1 percent. In afternoon trading, Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.6 percent, Germany's DAX index rose 0.7 percent, and France's CAC-40 gained 1.1 percent.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN BERNARD]

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