Stock futures higher as Alcoa delivers some cheer
MADRID (MarketWatch) — U.S. stock market futures rose on Tuesday, with sentiment boosted by Alcoa Inc.’s unofficial kickoff to the second-quarter earnings season. The National Federation of Independent Business and job openings are the only data of note.

Futures for the Dow Industrials (CBE JU3) rose 59 points, or 0.4%, to 15,219. Those for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index (GLC:SPU3) were up 7.4 points, or 0.5%, to 1,642.90. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index (GLC:NDU3) lifted 13 points, or 0.4%, to 2,971.75.

The data calendar is thin. The National Federation of Independent Business will release its small-business index for June at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time, while job openings for May are due at 10 a.m. Eastern.

But investors are really waiting for Wednesday’s release of the minutes of the June 18-19 Federal Open Market Committee, which could hold clues as to when the Fed will begin paring back on its bond-buying program. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-future...atest_news