U.S. stock futures edge up; ADP data awaited ADP

U.S. stock futures edge up; ADP data awaited
ADP private-sector payrolls, business conditions survey to come
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-fut...2012-10-03
MADRID (MarketWatch)—U.S. stock index futures posted small gains in choppy trade ahead of Wall Street’s open on Wednesday, with the ADP private-sector employment report and a survey of business conditions expected to be closely watched, while speculation continues over a potential bailout of Spain.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (CBOT JZ2) rose 12 points to 13,423, while those for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index (GLC:SPZ2) edged up 1.1 points to 1,442. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index (CME:NDZ2) rose 6.5 points to 2801.75.

Traders will be watching economic data closely. The ADP private-sector employment report, due for release at 8:15 a.m. Eastern time, could give investors a glimpse into how Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report will turn out. Economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires are expecting it to show 153,000 jobs were created in September, a slowdown from 201,000 reported in August.
At 10 a.m. Eastern, the Institute for Supply Management’s survey of business confidence in the U.S. service sector is expected to hold steady at 53.7 in September, according to a poll of economists surveyed by MarketWatch.

Data overseas was gloomy. The final euro-zone composite purchasing managers’ index for September fell to a four-month low, pointing to an “inevitable” return to recession in the third quarter,’ said survey compiler Markit.