U.S. stock index futures struggled to find direction Friday ahead of earnings from Bank of America, despite better-than-expected results from General Electric.
Shares of GE were up more than 1 percent in pre-market trading after company posted earnings of 21 cents per share for the first quarter, versus expectations of 16 cents. (GE is the parent company of CNBC.)
European shares were higher, but fairly subdued as mining stocks gave back recent gains on falling gold prices. Asian stocks ended in the red despite a positive close in the U.S.
Wall Street's winning streak continued Thursday with the major averages now up for six straight sessions and on the verge of completing their seventh straight week of gains.
Google's [GOOG 595.30 6.30 (+1.07%) ] latest quarter exceeded analysts' estimates by a wide margin, but share fell in after-hours trading.
On the economic front, the government will issue March housing starts at 8:30 am New York time, with consensus forecasts calling for a 6.1 percent gain following a decline of 5.9 percent in February. Building permits are expected to drop by 0.5 percent after February's 2.4 percent gain.
Economists are expecting an increase in the University of Michigan's monthly consumer sentiment index, out at 9:55 am. They're looking for an April reading of 75.0, compared to March's 73.6.
Along with GE and BofA, Gannett, and Mattel will also report results before the opening bell. (GE is the parent company of CNBC.)
GROUP OF SECURITIES
GE19.50
0.15+0.78%101,965,880
BAC19.48
0.08+0.41%237,493,503
GCI18.14
0.16+0.89%6,083,907
MAT23.75
0.43+1.84%5,768,605
Advanced Micro Devices [AMD 10.16 0.27 (+2.73%) ] beat Wall Street estimates with its after-the-bell earnings report Thursday.
Also in corporate news, Boston Scientific [BSX 7.14 -0.02 (-0.28%) ] is resuming sales of defibrillators that had been temporarily taken off the market. The FDA has now approved the company's manufacturing changes related to the devices.
The week's heavy schedule of Federal Reserve speakers continues Friday, with Fed Governor Kevin Warsh and Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig both appearing at a conference in New York.
In the news: President Barack Obama has signed an extension of jobless benefits that was passed by Congress late Thursday.
