US stock futures rise ahead of economic data


February 24, 2012 at 9:12a.m.

US stock futures rise ahead of economic data

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock market futures are gaining ahead of data on new home sales and consumer sentiment.

Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 15 points to 12,989, and the Standard & Poor’s 500 futures added 1.6 points to 1,364.30. The Nasdaq composite index is gaining 1.75 points to 2,602.50.

European markets are higher ahead of a weekend meeting of the finance ministers of the leading 20 industrial and developing nations. Europe’s debt crisis will likely be in focus there.

In London, the FTSE 100 index is up 0.36 percent. Germany’s DAX gained 0.40 percent. The CAC-40 in France is 0.38 percent higher.

Stocks to watch today include J.C. Penney Co., which posted a fourth-quarter loss.