Stock market indexes edged up on Tuesday morning, ahead of reports on U.S. house prices and consumer confidence.
U.S. stock index futures were higher with about 40 minutes before markets open, suggesting that stocks will rise at the start of trading. Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average were up 11 points or 0.1 per cent. Futures for the broader S&P 500 were up 1 point or 0.1 per cent.
In Europe, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.1 per cent but Germany's DAX index was up 0.1 per cent in afternoon trading. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1 per cent in overnight trading.
The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index will give investors another look at how the U.S. housing market is progressing with the economic recovery.
As well, investors will get a look at the Conference Board's consumer confidence index for March, due to be released soon after markets open. A consensus of economists expects the index to rise to 50 from 46.