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 * Major Wall Street indexes have risen for four straight sessions,
pushing the benchmark S&P index <.SPX> to its 50th record high of
the year. The S&P has risen 5.4 percent over that period, its best
4-day run since July 2010. The rally comes on the heels of a
selloff, sparked by a slump in oil prices that saw the index drop
nearly 5 percent from its prior record high set on Dec. 5.
* Investors will eye a slew of economic data, including the final
reading for third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) and durable
goods at 8:30 a.m.. Economists expect the GDP to show the U.S.
economy grew at a 4.3 percent annual pace, up from the prior
estimate of 3.9 percent. Durable goods orders are forecast to show a
2.9 percent increase.
* The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final December
reading on consumer sentiment is scheduled for release at 9:55 a.m.
New home sales data for November as well as the November reading for
personal income and spending are expected at 10 a.m..
* Trading volume is expected to be light this week due to the
Christmas holiday, which could increase volatility. U.S. equity
markets will open for an abbreviated session Wednesday and be closed
on Thursday.
* Gilead Sciences Inc <GILD.O> was the most actively traded issue on
the Nasdaq premarket, up 0.8 percent to $93.65. On Monday, the
drugmaker slumped more than 14 percent, its biggest drop in nearly
14 years, after Express Scripts Holding Co <ESRX.O> said it lined up
a cheaper price for AbbVie Inc's <ABBV.N> newly approved hepatitis C
treatment and, in most cases, will no longer cover Gilead's rival
treatments.
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* China Finance Online Co Ltd <JRJC.O> jumped 20.9 percent to $6.43
before the opening bell after the web-based financial services
company posted quarterly results. Volume of over 87,000 shares
represented about 6 percent of its 10-day daily average.
Futures snapshot at 8:02:
* S&P 500 e-minis <ESc1> were up 3.75 points, or 0.18 percent, with
52,186 contracts changing hands.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis <NQc1> were up 9 points, or 0.21 percent, on
volume of 7,310 contracts.
* Dow e-minis <1YMc1> were up 40 points, or 0.22 percent, with 7,551
contracts changing hands.
(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe)
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