© Reuters
Investing.com -- Top negotiators in Washington are set to meet for high-stakes talks over raising the country's debt limit. The Home Depot prepares to unveil its latest results, while U.S. retail sales figures for April are also due to be published. Elsewhere, weak economic data out of China left investors worried that an initial recovery in the country from COVID-19 restrictions may be losing steam.
1. Futures steady with debt ceiling talks ahead
U.S. futures were mixed, but held largely near the flatline, as the focus intensifies on planned debt ceiling talks Tuesday between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy with the estimated deadline to lift the $31.4 trillion borrowing limit edging closer (see below).
At 04:27 ET (08:27 GMT), the Dow futures contract had dipped 27 points or 0.08%, S&P 500 futures inched down 1 point or 0.04%, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 11 points or 0.08%.
The main indices finished in the green in the prior session, buoyed by comments from Biden over the weekend that negotiations with Congress were proceeding.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up by 47 points or 0.14%, while the broad-based S&P 500 added 12 points or 0.30% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 80 points or 0.66%.
2. Deadline to raise debt limit nears
Democratic and Republican staffers are reportedly carrying out behind-the-scenes discussions ahead of the all-important summit between Biden and McCarthy later today, according to Reuters.
Both sides remain at odds over spending proposals, although the White House has not totally dismissed the idea of conceding to a Republican demand for a cap on expenditures.
But the window to make a deal is closing, with the expected date when the federal government will default on its debts expected to fall sometime at the beginning of June. Officials in the U.S. and abroad have warned that such an event could have major consequences both inside and outside the world's largest economy.
The meeting is scheduled for 15:00 EST (19:00 GMT), Reuters said.
3. The Home Depot reports; U.S. retail sales due out
The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) will headline the latest batch of earnings out of the U.S. on Tuesday, with the DIY retail chain expected to report a decline in comparable sales.
Analysts at Wedbush flagged that extended winter temperatures contributed to the slowdown in demand during the period, along with elevated inflation, higher interest rates, and a soft housing market. Over a longer time frame, however, the company's performance is projected to remain resilient.
Other big-name retailers Target (NYSE:TGT) and Walmart (NYSE:WMT) are set to also post their results this week.
Meanwhile, on the economic data front, U.S. retail sales figures for April will be released later on Tuesday. Economists anticipate that overall retail sales will rebound on a monthly basis after two straight declines in March and February.
4. Chinese economic data disappoints
Industrial production and retail sales in China grew by less than expected in April, as the country's nascent recovery from strict COVID-19 rules showed some signs of sputtering.
Industrial production rose by 5.6% from the prior year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, much lower than analyst estimates of 10.9%, reflecting recently sluggish demand at home and overseas.
Elsewhere, retail sales jumped by 18.4% in April, missing projections for growth of 21%, but well above the 10.6% rise seen in March.
China's economy expanded by more than projected in the first quarter of 2023, although this increase was largely skewed toward a rebound in services and consumption. Manufacturing and the property sector - China's key economic drivers - were still under pressure, hinting at an uneven rebound this year.
5. Oil prices climb
Oil prices inched higher on Tuesday, as traders weighed U.S. plans to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the weaker-than-anticipated economic data out of China.
At 04:29 ET (08:29 GMT), U.S. crude futures traded 0.35% higher at $71.36 a barrel, while the Brent contract climbed 0.36% to $75.50 per barrel. The two benchmarks both made gains on Monday following three straight sessions of losses.
Underpinning the uptick was news that the U.S. Department of Energy is aiming to refill the SPR by purchasing 3 million barrels of crude oil for delivery in August, but Chinese industrial production and retail sales figures tempered gains.
