US futures up on glimpse of manufacturing

January 28, 2013 at 9:48a.m.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stock futures headed higher today with investors getting a peek into the health of the U.S. manufacturing sector.

Dow Jones industrial futures rose 11 points to 13,823. The broader S&P futures added 2 points to 1,497.70. Nasdaq futures gained 3 points to 2,731.

The Commerce Department is expected to report that companies boosted orders for long-lasting manufactured goods as the year came to a close, a good sign for the economy heading into 2013.

And Caterpillar beat Wall Street expectations when the purchase of a new purchase in China is discounted.

Shares of the manufacturer rose more than 2 percent in premarket trading.

Still, the company remains cautious about this year because the global economic picture remains clouded.