Investors were showing signs of caution Tuesday morning, a day after the Dow and S&P 500 hit record peaks.
U.S. stock futures were edging slightly lower ahead of the opening bell.
Investors were awaiting a number of corporate announcements, which could set market direction.
JPMorgan Chase and the Justice Department are expected to finalize a $13 billion settlement related to the bank’s past mortgage practices. The settlement and announcement could come as soon as Tuesday.
Shares in Nokia and Microsoft could also move depending on the outcome of a vote over Microsoft’s planned acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone business. The sale is widely expected to be approved by shareholders.
On the earnings front, firms including Best Buy, Campbell Soup, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Home Depot are scheduled to report quarterly results before the opening bell.
U.S. stocks finished mixed Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average topped 16,000 for the first time while the S&P 500 briefly surpassed 1,800. But neither index closed above those milestones.
Urban Outfitters shares slipped in after-hours trading Monday after the retailer offered cautious guidance for the fourth quarter.
European markets were dipping in morning trading, with the CAC 40 in Paris declining by roughly 0.7%.
Asian markets ended with mixed results. The main Chinese indexes in Shanghai and Hong Kong pulled back a tad after a big run-up Monday. Chinese stocks had been rallying strongly based on a number of reforms announced by Beijing.
