US Stock Futures Mixed As Investors Await Economic Data

US stock futures are mixed this morning as investors are awaiting economic data ahead of pre-Christmas holidays. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 3 points at 11,498.00 and S&P 500 index fell 0.4 point to 1,254.10. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 3.50 points to 2,232.50. US stocks closed higher yesterday, with the blue-chip Dow Industrials Average gaining 0.23%, the S&P 500 index rising 0.34% and the Nasdaq Composite index moving up 0.15%. Economic data on November durable-goods orders, November consumer-spending figures and weekly jobless claims will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. University of Michigan consumer-sentiment data for December will be released at 9:55 a.m. ET and November new-home sales figures are due at 10 a.m. ET. Bed Bath & Beyond Inc BBBY reported its FQ3 profit at $0.74 per share, up from $0.58 per share, in the year-ago quarter. The company's sales increased 11.1% y/y to $2.19 billion. The company's board has also authorized a new $2 billion share buyback program. Micron Technology Inc MU reported its Q1 earnings at $0.15 per share, down from $0.23 per share, in the year-ago period. The company's revenue increased 29% y/y to $2.3 billion. Positive sentiment ruled the European markets today. While STOXX Europe 600 Index has advanced 0.05%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.16%. Mostly Asian markets ended mixed, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average losing 0.23%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving up 0.38% and China's Shanghai Composite falling 0.79%. Against the yen, the US dollar fell 0.7181%. Against the greenback, the euro lost about 0.0076%. Nymex oil futures gained $0.11 to $90.59 per barrel in electronic trade, while gold futures dropped $3.40 to $1,384 an ounce. Read more from Benzinga's Markets.