U.S. stock-index futures fell, indicating the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index will drop for a third day, as a report showed the euro area’s economy contracted, adding to concern that global growth is slowing. VeriFone Systems Inc. (PAY), the largest maker of credit-card terminals, declined 2 percent in Germany after reporting a first-quarter loss. Nutrisystem Inc. (NTRI) retreated 9.9 percent in after-hours U.S. trading as the provider of prepared meals to help clients lose weight forecast earnings that fell short of the average analyst projection. Futures on the S&P 500 expiring this month slid 0.8 percent to 1,354 at 7:33 a.m. in New York. The gauge has rallied 8.5 percent in 2012. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures lost 84 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,877 today. “The mood has switched from debt to growth,� Richard Hunter, head of U.K. equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Plc in London, wrote in e-mailed comments. “After a strong start to the year, markets are now struggling to identify the next positive catalyst in order to maintain the momentum.� The euro area’s economy contracted in the fourth quarter as investment declined the most since 2009 and exports and consumer spending also dropped. Gross domestic product declined 0.3 percent from the third quarter, the European Union’s statistics office said today, confirming an initial estimate published on Feb. 15. Exports fell 0.4 percent after a 1.4 percent gain in the previous three months, while household spending slid 0.4 percent and investment dropped 0.7 percent. China Target The S&P 500 (SPX) has fallen for two days after closing at the highest level since 2008 on March 1. Yesterday China cut its economic growth target and orders to American factories decreased for the first time in three months. Investors are waiting to see how many of Greece’s private creditors agree to write down their sovereign-debt holdings by the euro area’s March 8 deadline. If the proposal wins their support, Greece will reduce its borrowings by 106 billion euros ($139 billion), lowering its debt to 120.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2020. The Greek government has set a 75 percent participation rate as the threshold for proceeding with the transaction. Investors holding about 20 percent of Greek bonds have so far declared their participation in the restructuring. VeriFone fell 2 percent to $45.64 as it posted a first- quarter loss. The company forecast second-quarter adjusted per- share earnings of 59 cents to 60 cents, compared with the average analyst estimate of 60 cents. Nutrisystem Slides Nutrisystem lost 9.9 percent to $10.70 in after-hours trading yesterday in New York. The provider of prepared meals forecast annual earnings per share of no more than 55 cents. That fell short of the average analyst projection of 92 cents a share, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Shuffle Master Inc. (SHFL) rallied 4.7 percent to $15.25 in after- hours trading in New York yesterday as the maker of casino roulette-chip sorters and card shufflers reported first-quarter revenue of $56.1 million, beating the average analyst estimate of $50.5 million. Amgen Inc. (AMGN) lost 1.2 percent to $66.42 in German trading as Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. downgraded its recommendation on the the world’s largest biotechnology company to “market perform� from “outperform.� Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (LVB) may move. The piano maker posted fourth-quarter earnings excluding some items of 24 cents a share, missing CJS Securities’ projection of 37 cents, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Apple Inc. fell 1 percent to $527.90 in pre-market New York trading. The stock declined the most in more than two weeks yesterday. To contact the reporter on this story: Adam Haigh in London at ahaigh1@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Rummer at arummer@bloomberg.net

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