The Hunt for the Next 10 Bagger

[RULiquid]

U.S. stocks: Futures edge up with Wal-Mart results on deck
Jobless claims due
LONDON (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks futures edged up Thursday, before the release of a weekly update on the labor market and quarterly figures from retailing heavyweight Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (CBE:DJU4) rose 7 points to 16,626, while those for the S&P 500 index (GLC:SPU4) (GLC:SPU4) picked up 1.5 points, or 0.1%, to 1,946.50. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index (GLC:NDU4) rose 4.5 points, or 0.1%, to 3,950.50.

The retail sector will be in focus, with Dow industrials component Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) due to release second-quarter results before the market opens. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect earnings of $1.21 a share, down from $1.24 a share a year ago.

“Given our observation of an increased number of clearance zones at numerous stores, and rising amounts of excess seasonal goods on markdown as the second quarter moved along, Wal-Mart is at risk of missing second-quarter consensus earnings per share forecasts,” wrote Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist at Belus Capital Advisors, in a report earlier this week.

He noted the consensus estimate for earnings are “oddly” near the upper-end of Wal-Mart’s own projection of $1.15 to $1.25 a share. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-futures-edge-up-with-wal-mart-results-on-deck-2014-08-14