[iStockAnalyst] Wall Street To Open Higher After Durables Data; Hot Stocks - FDO, JBL, ACTS, MKC, AMZN

U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher open on Wednesday as Finland's parliament approved changes to the euro-zone bailout fund and as investors awaited data on durable-goods orders.

On the economic front, data on U.S. new orders for manufactured goods in August decreased $0.2 billion, or 0.1 percent, to $201.8 billion as demand fell for primary metals, motor vehicles and large defense products excluding aircraft, the U.S. Census Bureau said Wednesday. This decrease, down two of the last three months, followed a 4.1 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.1 percent.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow industrial average futures were trading higher by 0.49 percent, or 54 points, to 11,174. Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.41 percent, or 9.25 points, to 2,263. Standard & Poor's 500 futures were trading higher by 0.45 percent, or 5.25 points, to 1,174.75.

Hot Stocks of the Day: FDO, JBL, ACTS, MKC, AMZN

Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO) on Wednesday reported fourth quarter FY 2011 sales of $2.13 billion, up 9.1 percent, from $1.95 billion in the fourth quarter FY 2010. Net income per diluted share in the fourth quarter FY 2011 increased 17.9 percent to $0.66 per share compared with $0.56 per diluted share in the fourth quarter FY 2010. Net income for the quarter was $79.8 million, up 8 percent, from $74 million in the comparable quarter last year. FDO was trading higher by 1.40 percent to $54.94 in pre-market trading today.

Jabil Circuit Inc. (NYSE: JBL) on Tuesday after the closing bell reported fourth quarter FY 2011 financial results. The company reported net revenue of $4.3 billion for the quarter, up from $3.9 billion in the same quarter last fiscal year. Net income for the quarter was $136.3 million, or $0.62 per share, compared with $112.1 million, or $0.52 per share, in the fourth quarter FY 2010. JBL is trading higher by 9.32 percent! to $19 in pre-market trading on Wednesday.

Shares of Action Semiconductor Co. Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACTS) could see some heavy trading Wednesday after the company raised its third quarter FY 2011 revenue forecast late Tuesday. The company now expects to report revenue of $15 million to $15.5 million, up from a prior outlook of $12 million to $13 million. ACTS last traded at $1.95, up 7.14 percent, on Tuesday.

McCormick & Co. Inc.

(NYSE: MKC) today reported third quarter FY 2011 sales of $920 million, up 16 percent, compared with $794 million in the third quarter FY 2010. Net income for the quarter was $92 million, or $0.69 per share, compared with $102.4 million, or $0.76 per share, in the same quarter last year. The reported earnings beat Wall Street's estimate of $0.64 per share. MKC last traded at $47.69, up $0.19 percent on Tuesday.

Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) is expected to unveil its first tablet on Wednesday. The company scheduled an event in New York City for Wednesday morning. However, it did not give any further details about the event. Analysts believe that it will launch its tablet today. AMZN was trading higher by 1.20 percent to $226.89 in pre-market trading today.

Global Markets: FTSE, CAC40, DAX, Nikkei 225, Straits Times, Hang Seng, Shanghai Composite Index, BSE 30

Asian markets closed mostly lower today. Singapore's Straits Times closed lower by 0.91 percent, or 24.74 points, to 2,701.17; China's Shanghai Composite closed down 0.95 percent, or 22.99 points, to 2,392.06; India's BSE 30 closed with losses of 0.47 percent, or 78.01 points, to 16,446.02; and Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed lower by 0.66 percent, or 119.49 points, to 18,130.55. Japan's Nikkei 225 was the lone gainer with gains of 0.07 percent, or 5.70 points, to 8,615.65.

European indexes were trading mixed mid-day Wednesday. Britain's FTSE 100 was trading lower by 0.25 percent, or 13.41 points, to 5,280.64. Germany's DAX was trading ! up 0.56 percent, or 31.35 points, to 5,659.79. France's CAC40 was trading lower by 0.20 points, or 5.95 points, to 3,017.43.

Oil slips below $84 mark ahead of US economic data

Ahead of the opening bell, crude oil was trading lower by 0.90 points, or 1.07 percent, to $83.55 per barrel. Gold stood at 1,654.70, up 4.10 points, or 0.25 percent on Wednesday.

In the currency market, the euro was trading higher by 0.52 percent to 1.3659 against the U.S. dollar. The dollar was trading lower at ��76.3850, down 0.45 percent against the Japanese yen. The British pound is trading higher by 0.20 percent to $1.5662 against the dollar on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Wall Street closed sharply higher. The Dow Jones industrial average closed with gains of 1.33 percent, or 146.83 points, to settle at 11,190.69. The Nasdaq ended higher by 1.20 percent, or 30.14 points, to 2,546.83. Standard & Poor's 500 ended higher by 1.07 percent, or 12.43 points, to 1,175.38.

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