New York - US stock index futures advanced on Tuesday after the S&P 500 fell for a second consecutive session, as earnings from Alcoa helped ease some investor skittishness about the corporate earnings season.
* Alcoa gained 2.5% to $16.57 before the opening bell. The company reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit due to a boost from automotive demand, higher aluminium prices and lower energy costs.
* Another sharp decline in energy shares as oil prices tumbled about 5% and growing concern over corporate profits sent equities lower for the second straight day. The benchmark S&P index has fallen in seven of the past nine sessions and is down 3% from its most recent record high on December 29.
* Financials including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are among companies also due to report this week, along with Dow component Intel Corporation.
* Fourth-quarter earnings are expected to show growth of 3.8% over the year-earlier period, according to Thomson Reuters data.
* Shares of energy companies are likely to be under pressure again as oil prices continued to stumble. Brent and US crude touched their lowest levels in almost six years as a big Opec producer stood by the group's decision not to cut output to tackle a glut in the market.
* Brent was last down 3% at $46.03, while US crude was off 2.5% at $44.93. Transocean shares were down 1.7% to $15.25 in premarket trading.
* A rise in retail shares pushed up European equities, which also benefited from expectations of new economic stimulus measures from the European Central Bank.
* Asian stocks were mostly on the defensive as the continuing slide in crude oil prices turned investors cautious towards risk assets.
Futures snapshot at 07:22:
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 10.75 points, or 0.53%, with 148 953 contracts changing hands.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 23.5 points, or 0.56%, in volume of 24 526 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 96 points, or 0.55%, with 24 144 contracts changing hands.