Before the bell: Making it three in a row? Futures point to a higher open

Can they make it three in a row? So it seems. U.S. stock futures were recently higher, indicating that at least in the morning, the session could start with gains. Solid earnings from Microsoft and Sun helped lift the more battered tech stocks and the economic stimulus plan helped lift sentiment overall.

On Thursday, U.S. stocks finished higher for a second day after the White House along with House leaders unveiled the planned economic stimulus package. With the expectation of Senate approval, the Street's mood was lifted, taking equities higher along. While recession might still visit the economy, hopes are growing that with the fiscal stimulus package as well as the easing monetary policy stance the Federal Reserve has taken, that the recession would be over faster and be less deep. On that, the Dow industrials rose Thursday 108 points, or 0.88%, the S&P 500 added 13 points, or 1.01%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 44 points, or 1.92%.

There are no economic news due out today, meaning investors will focus more on the stimulus package, the Fed's next move and earnings. The Fed meets next week to discuss its policy. While most expected the Fed might ease again, it is less certain now that the scandal of the rogue trader at Societe Generale was discovered. The Fed was unaware the bank was closing trades Monday, thus contributing to the sell-off that day. Critics claim the Fed has panicked [subscription required].