Wall Street stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open Tuesday on news that Ben Bernanke will be renominated as chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to announce the nomination later today.

Here at home, BMO Financial Group posted at 6.9% increase in third-quarter profit.

There are no major economic releases from Statistics Canada today.

The Canadian dollar was at US93.01¢, up from 92.85¢, at Monday’s close.

On the U.S. economic data calendar, the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. Home Price Index for June is set to be released at 9:00 ET, and consumer confidence for August is due at 10:00 ET.

In other earnings news, Burger King Holdings it posted a 16% increase in second-quarter net profit.

In commodities news, benchmark crude for October delivery was down 50¢ to US$73.87 a barrel by late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Asian stock markets were lower Tuesday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average lost 83.69 points, or 0.8%, to 10,497.36. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was off 0.5% at 20,435.24.

In early European trade, benchmarks in Germany, France and the UK were each down about 0.5%.

The Toronto Stock Exchange surrendered earlier gains to finish in negative territory on Monday, pulled down by financial stocks and materials companies.

The S&P/TSX composite index shed 41.21 points, or 0.4%, to close at 10,789.97.

Junior listed companies also finished lower on Monday. The S&P/TSX Venture composite index dipped 5.59 points, or 0.5%, to close at 1,186.36.

In New York, U.S. stock market indexes finished mainly flat on Monday, held back by weakness among financials and consumer discretionary stocks.

The Dow Jones industrial average edged up by just 3.32 points to close at 9,509.28.

The S&P 500 index finished at 1,025.57, down by less than point.

The Nasdaq composite index slipped 2.92 points, or 0.1%, to end at 2,017.98.

IE