U.S. stock-index futures rose, rebounding after the biggest weekly drop in three months for the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as investors awaited reports that may show the economy is improving. Colgate-Palmolive Co., the world’s largest toothpaste maker, rose after Citigroup Inc. recommended the shares. Aastrom Biosciences Inc. tumbled 5.4 percent after saying it plans to sell as much as $75 million in securities. Futures on the S&P 500 expiring in December advanced 0.4 percent to 1,199.3 at 12:11 p.m. in London. The gauge sank 2.2 percent last week amid concern about Europe’s debt crisis and speculation China will boost interest rates, while Cisco Systems Inc.’s forecasts missed analysts’ estimates. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.3 percent to 11,180 today, and Nasdaq-100 Index futures gained 0.5 percent to 2,145.25. “Stocks took a hit on Friday and closed below fair value, but investors are still positive given the strong performance during the third-quarter earnings season and are hoping for a year-end rally,” said Lex van Dam, fund manager at London-based Hampstead Capital LLP, which oversees $500 million. About 76 percent of the companies in the S&P 500 that have reported quarterly results since Oct. 7 have topped analysts’ estimates for per-share profit, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. U.S. retail sales rose for a fourth month in October, showing consumers are playing a bigger role in the recovery, economists said before a Commerce Department report due at 8:30 a.m. in Washington. The projected gain of 0.7 percent would follow a 0.6 percent advance the prior month. Other figures today may show manufacturing in the New York region expanded and businesses boosted stockpiles. Rescue Fund Futures reversed losses from earlier today after European Central Bank Vice President Vitor Constancio said Ireland would be able to tap the European Union’s rescue fund to bail out its banks as pressure mounts on the country to stop its crisis infecting the rest of the region. Germany is pressing Ireland to seek aid before tomorrow’s meeting of European finance ministers to calm market volatility and win agreement on making investors help pay for future bailouts, according to a German government official who declined to be identified because the talks are private. Irish Enterprise Minister Batt O’Keeffe said a bailout has not been discussed, while a Finance Ministry spokesman said Ireland is in talks with European officials about current “market conditions.” Colgate, Lowe’s Colgate, the world’s largest toothpaste maker, rose 0.8 percent to $77.17 after Citi raised its recommendation to “buy” from “hold.” Lowe’s Cos. slipped 0.5 percent to $21.58 in Germany. The second-largest U.S. home-improvement retailer lowered its forecast for the current fiscal year. Aastrom slumped 5.4 percent to $3.97 after the developer of treatments to repair human tissue using stem cells filed plans with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell as much as $75 million in securities. The company also said it granted Atek Medical LLC exclusive rights to manufacture the company’s cell cassette product. To contact the reporter on this story: Adam Ewing in Stockholm at aewing5@bloomberg.net. To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Merritt at dmerritt1@bloomberg.net.

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