Friday, April 30, 2010

Market Notes - April 30, 2010

U.S. stock index futures edged higher as investors shift their focus from earnings back to the economy.

The Commerce Department said the first quarter gross domestic product grew at a 3.2% pace. This is down slightly from the 5.6% pace in the previous quarter, but a resurgence of consumer spending offered evidence of a sustainable recovery. This also marks the third straight quarter of growth. Still to come is a survey on business conditions in the Chicago area and the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index.