Before the bell: Futures higher after Tuesday’s plunge; DIS, TWX in focus

06 02 2008

Before the bell: Futures higher after Tuesday’s plunge; DIS, TWX in focus

Posted by: in Latest News

Filed under: Before the bell, International markets, Earnings reports, Deals, Time Warner (TWX), Market matters, Walt Disney (DIS), Toll Brothers (TOL), Economic data, BHP Billiton Ltd ADR (BHP), Rio Tinto plc ADS (RTP), Time Warner Cable (TWC), Politics

U.S. stock futures were higher Wednesday morning after they sold off sharply on Super Tuesday on economic worries. This morning, however, hanging on to good news from Disney, futures seem to indicate a rebound in the stock markets for this day.

Stocks sank Tuesday after the Institute of Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index, which measures about 90% of economic activity, plunged to 41.9% in January 2008 from 54.4% in December 2007. The Dow industrials dropped 370 points, or 2.93%m, the S&P 500 fell 44 points, or 3.2%, and the Nasdaq composite declined 73 points, or 3.08%. Tuesday was the Dow’s biggest one-day point loss since mid-October and worst one-day percentage fall since February 27, 2007.

Not much is on the economic docket calendar, but at 8:30 a.m. EST, preliminary fourth quarter productivity report is due with economists expecting a small 0.5% gain.
At 10:30 a.m. weekly crude inventory data will be released. Oil prices fell near $88 a barrel on economic concerns that could curb demand. Traders are also expecting to see an increase in crude supplies last week.

Overseas, Asian markets plunged Wednesday with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closing 5.4% down and Japan’s Nikkei closing 4.7% down.
European stocks, which have fell modestly in early trading, were higher by midday.

Meanwhile, the race for the White Home remained in focus with Sen. John McCain cementing his lead as the Republican Party’s front-runner, while over on the Democratic Celebration side, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama race is dead heat, according to CNN’s projections. Clinton seems to have an edge in the number of delegates.

Several stories are in focus on the corporate side:
The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) reported Tuesday that its first-quarter profit fell 26% from a year earlier, when it benefited from the sale of a magazine and entertainment channel, beating Wall Street estimates. It also posted a 9% jump in revenue across nearly all of its business units, led by its media networks division. DIS shares are up 5.7% in premarket trading.

Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) reported a 41% decline in fourth-quarter profits, but excluding one-time effects, earnings rose on stronger results at the company’s cable Television and motion picture operations. Net income was $1.03 billion or 28 cents per share, in line with the Street’s expectations. Revenues rose 2% to $12.64 billion. Earnings from Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) rose 19% on a 12% gain in revenues. TWX shares are up nearly a percent in premarket trading.

BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) sweetened its unwelcome takeover bid for Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) on Wednesday to an all-share offer worth $147.4 billion. BHP Billiton is offering 3.4 of its shares for every one Rio Tinto share, up from the initial informal proposal of three-for-one.

Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) stated Wednesday that revenues fell 22% during the first quarter, and the luxury-home builder isn’t “seeing much light at the end of the tunnel.”