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Empresas y finanzas

Stock index futures signal more losses


    PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.57 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.31 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.53 percent at 5.19 a.m. EST.

    U.S. crude oil futures were up more than $2 a barrel at above $100 on mounting fears that the chaos in Libya that has cut more than a quarter of OPEC-member Libya's crude output could spread to other major producers in the region, including top exporter Saudi Arabia.

    European stocks were down around 0.5 percent in morning trade while Tokyo's Nikkei average lost 1.2 percent, adding to this week's global sell-off triggered by escalating violence in Libya.

    The spotlight will be on General Motors Co on Thursday, as the company is expected to report full-year earnings of more than $5 billion, its first annual profit in six years, although rising commodity prices and its European operations are seen as putting a drag on the fourth-quarter performance.

    Limited Brands Inc said on Wednesday fourth-quarter net income rose 27 percent, in-line with its recently raised forecast, as fewer markdowns and more full-priced selling boosted results.

    The United States looked set on Thursday to announce the winner of a $35 billion battle between Boeing and Airbus to supply in-flight refueling aircraft to the U.S. Air Force after two failed attempts to renew its aging fleet.

    Citigroup Inc will restructure its North American retail bank and credit card units, according to internal memos obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

    On the earnings front, companies due to report on Thursday include AIG , Applied Materials , Gap , Mylan , Safeway and Target.

    Economic data due includes durable goods orders, new home sales and jobless claims.

    U.S. stocks dropped for a second straight session on Wednesday as Libya's violence sent oil prices up and tech shares sank.

    The Dow Jones industrial average fell 107.01 points, or 0.88 percent, to 12,105.78. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 8.04 points, or 0.61 percent, to 1,307.40. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 33.43 points, or 1.21 percent, to 2,722.99.

    (Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Greg Mahlich)