U.S. futures pointed to a slightly higher open on the Wall Street, with main focus on the corporate earnings season that gets busier this week. The sentiment is also likely weighed by a meet between European Union ministers in Brussels concerning Greece debt.
Mini Dow industrial average futures gained 8 points to 12,662.00. The Nasdaq Futures rose 2.25 points to 2,437.00. Standard and Poor's 500 futures edged 0.10 points lower at 1,310.70.
On Friday, U.S. stocks closed on a mixed note, with the sentiment weighed by corporate earnings and developments concerning Greece debt.
Hot Stocks Of The Day: (RIMM, APA, HAL, CHK, IRF)
In corporate news, Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) (TSX:RIM.TO) named Thorsten Heins as its president and CEO. The Blackberry maker also announced its co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis have stepped down from the position. On the NASDAQ, the stock advanced 2.3 percent in premarket trading on Monday.
Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) is acquiring privately-owned Cordillera Energy Partners III LLC for $2.85 billion in cash and stock, in a transaction that more than doubles its acreage in the Anadarko Basin. Shares rose 0.6 percent in premarket trading.
Halliburton Co. (NYSE:HAL) reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, helped by jump in revenue as demand for its oilfield services increased.
EXcluding a $15 million charge, after-tax, or 2 cents per share, fourth-quarter earnings per share were $1.00, topping Wall Street projections of 99 cents a share. Revenue jumped 37 percent to $7.0 billion, better than analysts' expectations of $6.8 billion. Shares fell 1.9 percent to $35.50 in premarket.
Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE:CHK) gained 5.1 percent to $22.04 in premarket after the company announced plans to curtail output in response to lower prices. It sees flat or lower total natural gas production in the U.S. this year, as it plans to curb production in the Haynesville and Barnett shales as well as cut its dry gas drilling. Chesapeake plans to postpone its gross operated gas output by up to 1.0 Bcf per day and inrends to defer new dry gas well completions and pipeline.
International Rectifier Corp. (NYSE:IRF) dropped 1.8 percent to $23.00 after the semiconductor maker slashed its second quarter revenue forecast, blaming weak demand in China and Europe, manufacturing related delays as well as impact from Thailand floods. The company now anticipates that second quarter revenue will be between $229 million and $230 million, from between $240 million and $270 million projected earlier.
CSX (NYSE: CSX), Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN), Albermarle (NYSE: ALB), Crane (NYSE: CR), Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU), Polycom (PLCM), among others, are scheduled to report their quarterly numbers after the market closes.
Global Markets:
The European markets were trading higher ahead of the Eurogroup financial ministers meet in Brussels. Germany's DAX is up 0.52 percent to trade at 6,437.63. France's CAC40 gained 0.48 percent to 3,337.50. Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 0.70 percent to 5,773.74.
Market Scan:
Ahead of the opening bell, crude oil was trading higher by 0.70 percent at $99.02 per barrel. Gold rose 0.47 percent to $1,671.9 per ounce.
In the currency market, the euro strengthened 0.68 percent against the U.S. dollar, while the British pound edged 0.11 percent lower against the greenback. The dollar fell 0.15 percent against the Japanese yen.