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* Futures up: Dow 0.46%, S&P 0.33%, Nasdaq 0.43%
By Amy Caren Daniel
Investors are looking to the ongoing first-quarter earningsseason to help sustain Wall Street's rally this year from aselloff in late-2018. The benchmark S&P index .SPX is nowwithin a percent of its closing record high hit in September.
UnitedHealth Group IncUNH.N rose 1.2% in premarkettrading after the largest U.S. health insurer beat quarterlyprofit estimates and raised its adjusted earnings target for theyear.
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ.N gained 1.0% after the U.S.healthcare conglomerate beat quarterly profit estimates andraised its adjusted sales growth forecast for the year.
Bank of America CorpBAC.N reported a better-than-expectedrise in quarterly profit, helped by a growing loan book and costcuts. Shares were marginally higher.
Bank results have been mixed so far. JPMorgan Chase & CoJPM.N kicked off earnings for the group on a strong note onFriday, but Goldman Sachs Group IncGS.N and Citigroup IncC.N disappointed on Monday with revenue misses.
Among big names reporting after markets close includeNetflix Inc NFLX.O and International Business Machines CorpIBM.N .
Analysts now expect S&P 500 companies to post a 2.1%year-on-year decline in profits, which would mark their firstannual decline in earnings since 2016.
At 6:54 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis 1YMc1 were up 122 points, or0.46%. S&P 500 e-minis ESc1 were up 9.5 points, or 0.33% andNasdaq 100 e-minis NQc1 were up 33 points, or 0.43%.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services IncJBHT.O fell 4.6% afterthe transport and logistics provider's first-quarter profit andrevenue fell short of estimates.
On the macro front, industrial production is expected torise 0.2 percent in March following a 0.1% rise in February. Thedata is due at 9:15 a.m. ET. (Reporting by Amy Caren Daniel in Bengaluru; Editing by SrirajKalluvila) ((Amy.CarenDaniel@thomsonreuters.com ; within U.S.+1-646-223-8780; outside U.S. +91 80 6749 9250 ; ReutersMessaging: Amy.CarenDaniel.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net;))
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
