NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures rose on Monday on expectations that rising commodity prices and a downtick in the U.S. dollar would boost stocks in the energy and materials sectors.
The dollar index <.DXY> edged 0.3 percent lower, while February crude gained 0.4 percent to $74.75 per barrel. The January contract expires later Monday.
"We've got a mildly positive commodities complex and mildly weaker dollar, which seem to be the drivers early here," said Art Hogan, chief market analyst at Jefferies & Co in Boston.
Investors will keep an eye on Dubai after debt-ridden conglomerate Dubai World , which met its creditors on Monday, said it will work to seek a debt standstill in "an orderly way" and will get government financial support if an agreement is reached.
The healthcare sector is in focus after a broad healthcare bill passed a crucial test in the U.S. Senate early Monday, as enough votes were put together to clear a key procedural hurdle in approving President Barack Obama's top legislative priority.
Walgreen Co , the largest U.S. drugstore chain, reported a nearly 20 percent jump in quarterly profit as growth in prescription drug sales and flu shots offset a hit in consumer spending.
Drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis agreed to buy U.S. consumer healthcare group Chattem Inc for about $1.9 billion in a deal to give Sanofi over-the-counter presence in the United States.
Pfizer Inc , the world's biggest drugmaker, is buying the rights to a stem-cell therapy to treat inflammatory bowel disease from Athersys Inc .
S&P 500 futures rose 5.6 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 38 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 11.5 points.
General Motors said Sunday it would evaluate several new expressions of interest for its Swedish Saab unit, including a fast-track bid from thwarted Dutch suitor Spyker Cars .
Terex Corp , the world's third biggest maker of heavy earth-moving equipment, is selling its mining business for $1.3 billion in cash to mining equipment maker Bucyrus International Inc , the companies said Sunday.
French group Safran SA and General Electric Co won a multibillion dollar deal to provide the power plant for China's new C919 plane, Safran said Monday.
Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc's New York-traded shares rose 2.8 percent to $107.90 in premarket trade after Goldman Sachs added the company to its "conviction buy" list. Goldman also upgraded Mosaic Corp to "buy" from "neutral," and the stock added 3.2 percent to $56.99 in light trade.
U.S. stocks rose Friday in choppy trade as quarterly results from Oracle Corp and Research In Motion Ltd lifted the Nasdaq more than 1 percent, but the U.S. dollar's climb curbed gains in both the Dow and the S&P 500.
