Stock futures point to lower Wall Street open

[February 04, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- Stock index futures are pointing to a lower open on Wall Street as investors turn to consumers for insight into the economic recovery.

Retailers are issuing December sales reports Thursday. One of the first to report, Costco Wholesale Corp., beat forecasts but said some of its gain was due to gasoline sales and the weak dollar.

The market will also see the Labor Department's weekly report on first-time claims for unemployment, expected to show claims rose by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 447,000 last week.

Global markets retreated. Analysts said investors are waiting for the Labor Department's December sales report, being issued Friday.

Dow futures are down 22, or 0.2 percent, at 10,494. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures are down 3.30, or 0.3 percent, at 1,129.70, while Nasdaq 100 index futures are down 4.00, or 0.2 percent, at 1,874.50.

[Associated Press; By IEVA M. AUGSTUMS]

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