U.S. stock-index futures rose, signaling equities will advance for a third day, amid optimism that the world’s largest economy will be able to cope with higher interest rates from next year. Steel Dynamics Inc. (STLD) climbed 3.7 percent in European trading and United Natural Foods Inc. gained 2.6 percent after making financial forecasts that exceeded estimates. Agilent Technologies Inc. gained 1.7 percent after naming a new chief executive officer to take over next year and setting the terms for the split of its electronic-measurement unit. Futures on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index expiring in December advanced 0.3 percent to 1,999.2 at 10:07 a.m. in London. The equities gauge climbed 0.9 percent in the past two days. Dow Jones Industrial Average contracts added 45 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,114 today. “‘People are focusing so much on the wording when it comes to the Fed, and ‘‘considerable time’’ were the two magic words,’’ said Moudy El Khodr, who helps manage U.S. equities for ING Investment Management in Brussels. ‘‘Everybody expects rates to rise next year, that’s priced into the market, and now we have the debate about when exactly they will do this and at what pace. Although the transition phase may be volatile, markets will be able live with the fact that rates are only rising because the economy is doing well.’’ Fed Outlook The Federal Reserve is studying economic reports to gauge whether the economic recovery is strong enough to withstand higher borrowing rates. Stocks briefly extended gains yesterday after the central bank said the economy is expanding at a moderate pace and inflation is below its goal. It kept its pledge to keep interest rates near zero for a ‘‘considerable time’’ after completing asset purchases. Commerce Department data at 8:30 a.m. in Washington may show housing starts dropped 5.2 percent to a 1.04 million annualized rate in August, after surging in July to an eight-month high, economists forecast. Another report at the same time will probably show fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, the gauge of options prices known as the VIX, lost 0.6 percent to 12.65 yesterday, for its largest two-day loss in a month. Results Forecasts Steel Dynamics rose 3.7 percent to $25.76 in European trading. Third-quarter earnings, excluding some items, will be between 42 cents and 46 cents a share, the company said in a statement late yesterday. Analysts on average predict profit of 37 cents a share. United Natural Foods gained 2.6 percent to $65.29 in Germany. Revenue for the accounting year through Aug. 1, 2015 will be between $8.13 billion and $8.38 billion, the food distributor said. That beat analysts’ projections for sales of $7.75 billion. Agilent Technologies added 1.7 percent to $59.87 in European trading. The maker of scientific-testing equipment said Mike McMullen will succeed William Sullivan as CEO from March 18. Separately, the board approved the separation of Keysight Technologies Inc. and distributing the new company’s shares to Agilent’s shareholders as a special dividend. Diamondback Energy Inc. slipped 2.7 percent to $75.63 after the close of regular New York trading yesterday. Companies controlled by Wexford Capital LP and by Gulfport Energy Corp. plan to sell 2.5 million shares in the oil-and-gas company. To contact the reporter on this story: Sofia Horta e Costa in London at shortaecosta@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecile Vannucci at cvannucci1@bloomberg.net Srinivasan Sivabalan

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