Before the bell: Futures lower ahead of data

Posted May 7th 2008 7:48AM by Melly Alazraki
Filed under: Before the Bell, Earnings Reports, Deals, Google (GOOG), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Intel (INTC), Market Matters, Walt Disney (DIS), Sprint Nextel Corp (S), Comcast Cl'A' (CMCSA), Economic Data, Time Warner Cable (TWC), Oil, Housing

U.S. stock futures were lower early Wednesday as investors, worried about inflation, await data on pending home sales and labor costs. Earnings news in focus this morning comes from tech bellwether Cisco Systems, which gave a cautious outlook, and from Walt Disney, which reported good results.

Despite starting the day on a down note, as oil futures remained high, U.S. stocks closed higher on Tuesday, mostly due to some reassuring comments made on a Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) conference call. The Dow industrials ended up 51 points, or 0.40%, the S&P 500 rose 10 points, or 0.77%, and the Nasdaq Composite finished 19 points, or 0.78%, higher.

Today investors will finally have some data to sink in their teeth. First quarter labor productivity and unit costs is out at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Economists expect productivity to rise 1.5% in the first quarter, but for unit labor costs to climb as well.

Also on the docket today are March pending home sales data to be released at 10:00 a.m. and which probably fell another 1%.

After that, weekly crude inventories are scheduled to be reported. Crude futures have held up near $122 a barrel despite the dollar advancing against the yen and the euro.

There are many companies in focus this morning too. Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) reported sales and earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations after the close Monday, but gave a sales guidance that was somewhat conservative.

Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) also reported quarterly results after the market close Tuesday that also beat expectations. Interestingly, it seems that of all companies, the entertainment giant isn't getting hit by the economic slowdown as other companies do. Disney shares were up 2.3% in premarket trading.

And in deal news, Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) announced Wednesday the formation of a joint venture for the high-speed wireless network WiMax to create a $14.55 billion communications company in which Sprint will hold a 51% stake. The new company, to be named Clearwire, will receive a $3.2 billion investment from Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) and Brighthouse Networks. Sprint shares are up over 7.7% in premarket trading, CLWR nearly 14.5%.

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