MARKET SNAPSHOT: U.S. Stocks Struggle For Direction Ahead Of Economic Reports

By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

Qualys plunges more than 25% premarket

U.S. stock-index futures were pointing to a flat open on Tuesday, ahead of trade-deficit numbers, service-sector reports, and the closely followed jobs report slated for Friday.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YMM5) were up about 4 points to 17,999, while those for the S&P 500 index (ESM5) flat to lower at 2,108.40. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 (NQM5) was off by 8 points, or 0.2%, to 4,468.

Tuesday's flat market follows two days of gains for the major indexes, with the S&P 500 (SPX) on Monday ending just a few points shy (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid) of its record close set on April 24.

Data: Investors are already looking ahead to the top-tier nonfarm-payrolls report on Friday, but have some data to digest Tuesday. At 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, the trade deficit for March is due, forecast to show a rise to $43.5 billion, from $35.4 billion in February (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-trade-deficit-sinks-17-in-february-to-354-billion-2015-04-02).

At 10 a.m. Eastern, the ISM nonmanufacturing data are due. The report -- also known as the ISM reading for the services sector -- is expected to come in at 56.5% in April, unchanged from March (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ism-services-index-dips-in-march-but-shows-steady-us-growth-2015-04-06).

Among Federal Reserve speakers, Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota speaks at the town hall in Marshall, Minnesota at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Earnings: Reporting ahead of the bell, Kellogg Co.(K) is projected to report first-quarter earnings of 92 cents a share.

Sprint (S) said its loss widened in the fourth quarter and that revenue also declined. Shares were off 1% ahead of the bell.

DirecTV (DTV) slipped 0.5% premarket after the digital TV company reported first-quarter profit and revenue that missed forecasts (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/directv-profit-and-revenue-miss-estimates-2015-05-05).

Office Depot Inc.(ODP) said it swung to a profit in the first quarte (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/office-depot-matches-profit-expectations-but-misses-on-sales-2015-05-05)r, but sales missed expectations.

Archer Daniels Midland Co.(ADM) reported a 15% drop in first-quarter sales (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/archer-daniels-midland-sales-fall-miss-estimates-2015-05-05) as the strong dollar and weak markets led to softness in its corn-processing business.

Walt Disney Co.(DIS) reported profits and sales that were better than analysts' expectations (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-profit-and-revenue-top-estimates-2015-05-05).

After hours, Groupon Inc.(GRPN) is expected to report first-quarter earnings of a penny a share. Herbalife Ltd.(HLF) is forecast to post first-quarter earnings of $1 a share. On Monday, Herbalife's biggest critic, Bill Ackman, reiterated his confidence in his bet against the health-supplements company in a CNBC interview at the Ira Sohn investment conference in New York.

Movers and shakers: Shares of Qualys Inc.(QLYS) plunged 24% ahead of the bell after the cloud-security company late Monday posted a disappointing outlook (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/comcast-cablevision-tyson-foods-earnings-in-focus-2015-05-01).

Other markets: Chinese stocks slid 4.1%, suffering their second largest daily fall this year (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid).

European stock markets were struggling for direction Tuesday (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eu-lifts-eurozone-growth-forecast-2015-05-05-5485346).

Oil prices (CLM5) advanced and most metals rose. The dollar (DXY) traded mixed against other major currencies.

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