U.S. stock futures fell, indicating the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index will extend its biggest decline since November, before reports that may show house sales decreased and jobless claims advanced. VeriFone Systems Inc. (PAY) slumped 34 percent in German trading after the maker of credit-card terminals forecast second-quarter profit that missed analysts’ estimates because of weak economic conditions in Europe. US Airways (LCC) Group Inc. may move after JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded the shares. S&P 500 (SPX) futures expiring next month fell 0.2 percent to 1,503.5 at 7:27 a.m. in New York. The gauge has still gained 6 percent this year as U.S. lawmakers agreed on a compromise budget and companies reported better-than-estimated earnings. The index fell 1.2 percent yesterday amid concern that the Federal Reserve will scale back economic stimulus. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 31 points, or 0.2 percent, to 13,858 today. “The measured selloff on Wall Street signaled a pause for breath as the Fed reintroduced some uncertainty with its comments on monetary policy,� Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Plc (HL/) in London, wrote in an e-mail. “Sentiment remains fragile. Investors will continue to digest the implications as the day wears on, set against some further corporate and economic news which is likely to guide the market’s direction.� Sales of previously owned U.S. houses probably eased in January, economists said before a report at 10 a.m. in Washington. Purchases fell 0.8 percent to a 4.9 million annualized rate last month from December’s 4.94 million, according to the median forecast of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Jobless Claims Applications for jobless benefits may have climbed for the first time in three weeks, economists predicted before a report from the Labor Department due at 8:30 a.m. Several participants at the Federal Open Market Committee’s Jan. 29-30 meeting “emphasized that the committee should be prepared to vary the pace of asset purchases, either in response to changes in the economic outlook or as its evaluation of the efficacy and costs of such purchases evolved,� according to the minutes of the gathering released yesterday. VeriFone tumbled $10.91 to $20.98 in German trading. Earnings excluding some items will be 45 cents to 50 cents a share in the quarter ending in April, San Jose, California-based VeriFone said. Analysts on average had predicted profit of 80 cents a share, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. US Airways, which is merging with AMR Corp., may advance after JPMorgan upgraded its recommendation on the stock to overweight, the equivalent of buy, from neutral. Wal-Mart Beats Wal-Mart Stores Inc. rose 0.3 percent to $69.39 in Germany as the world’s biggest retailer said fourth-quarter profit rose 8.6 percent, topping analysts’ estimates. Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) may move after Raymond James Financial Inc. downgraded the stock to underperform, the equivalent of a sell rating. Office Depot Inc., the second-largest office-supplies retailer in the U.S. that this week agreed to combine with OfficeMax Inc., fell 0.5 percent to $4.06 in German trading as Janney Montgomery Scott LLC downgraded the shares to neutral from buy. Imax Corp. may move after the designer of digital imaging and sound technologies reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 23 cents, beating analyst estimates for 16 cents. To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Morgan in Frankfurt at jmorgan157@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Rummer at arummer@bloomberg.net

Source