Tuesday, 18 November 2008

STOCK FUTURES FALL AHEAD OF AUTO BAILOUT TALKS

An anxious Wall Street proceeded cautiously Monday after last week's selloff, sending stock futures lower ahead of economic data and talks in Congress about the automotive industry.

The government at 9:15 a.m. Eastern time will release its October reading on industrial production. The median estimate by economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR is an increase of 0.2 percent after September's drop of 2.8 percent.

Investors were also nervously waiting to see whether the nation's troubled automakers would get a bailout. Senate Democrats, who plan to introduce legislation Monday, want to use part of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout to help prop up Detroit's Big Three carmakers: General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC. A vote was expected as early as Wednesday.

General Motors said Monday it will sell its entire stake in Suzuki Motor Corp. for 22.37 billion yen, or $230 million, to raise cash."

No comments: