US Stock Futures Up Ahead Of Earnings: April 17, 2012

US stock futures are higher this morning, as investors are awaiting earnings from several major companies. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 41 points to 12,891.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 5.80 points to 1,369.70. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 8.50 points to 2,672.25.
 
US stocks closed mixed on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.56% to 12,921.41, the S&P 500 index declining 0.05% to 1,369.57 and the Nasdaq 100 index dipping 0.76% to 2,988.40.
 
Data on March housing starts will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. However, data on March industrial production and capacity utilization will be released at 9:15 a.m. ET.
 
Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $3.52 per share on revenue of $9.34 billion. US Bancorp (NYSE: USB) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $4.78 billion. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is estimated to post its Q1 EPS at $0.55 on revenue of $625.95 million.
 
Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.87 per share on revenue of $10.82 billion. W.W. Grainger Inc (NYSE: GWW) is estimated to report its Q1 earnings at $2.52 per share on revenue of $2.18 billion. State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is expected to post its Q1 EPS at $0.87 on revenue of $2.33 billion.
 
CSX Corp (NYSE: CSX) is projected to post its Q1 EPS at $0.38 on revenue of $2.93 billion. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $1.35 per share on revenue of $16.28 billion. Forest Laboratories Inc (NYSE: FRX) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $0.70 on revenue of $1.02 billion. International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) is expected to post its Q1 EPS at $2.65 on revenue of $24.77 billion.
 
Brown & Brown Inc (NYSE: BRO) reported a 6.3% y/y rise in its Q1 net income.
 
European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 1.13%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.90%, French CAC 40 index rose 1.41% and German DAX 30 index gained 1.23%.
 
Asian markets ended mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dipping 0.06%, China's Shanghai Composite dropping 0.94% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 0.31%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined 0.23% and India's Sensex gained 1.31%.
 
Nymex crude-oil futures gained $0.68 to $103.61 a barrel. However, gold futures rose $3.40 to $1,653.10 an ounce.
 
The Dollar Index (DXY) fell 0.09% to 79.49, versus 79.530 in late North American trade on Monday.
 
The euro gained 0.03% versus the dollar to trade at $1.3145, up from $1.3141 on Monday. The dollar gained 0.27% versus the Japanese yen to trade at ¥80.6250, versus ¥80.47 late Monday.

By Monica Gerson