* Big banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank
of America, are due to report results for the first quarter,
providing an expected bright spot in an otherwise gloomy
quarter. Profits of companies on the S&P 500 are projected to
have declined 2.9 percent in the first three months from a year
ago, according to Thomson Reuters data.
* Apple shares edged up 0.3 percent in premarket trading after
analysts said the company is likely to ramp up production of the
Apple Watch after strong pre-orders outstripped supply in the
first weekend following its launch.
* Qualcomm shares were up 4.8 percent after the WSJ reported
that activist investor Jana Partners had asked the chipmaker to
consider spinning off its chip unit from its patent-licensing
business to boost its sagging stock price.
* Weak export data from China weighed on sentiment in Europe.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 share index, which touched its
highest since 2000 on Friday, edged lower.
Futures snapshot at 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT): * S&P 500 e-minis
were down 3.25 points, or 0.16 percent, with 78,452 contracts
changing hands. * Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 1 points, or 0.02
percent, in volume of 11,417 contracts. * Dow e-minis were
down 22 points, or 0.12 percent, with 13,665 contracts changing
hands.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](column_spacer.png) |
|