Stock futures are slightly lower in very light trading as markets await a slew of economic indicators this week and the latest round of financial reports from U.S. corporations.
J.C. Penney Co. says it has tapped a Kraft Foods executive as its new marketing chief to help revitalize the struggling brand and reconnect with its shoppers.
Average rates on U.S. fixed mortgages ticked up this week but are still low by historical standards, a trend that has helped the housing market recover.
Stocks are rising in early trading on Wall Street after several U.S. companies turned in solid earnings.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 49 points, or 0.3 percent, to 15,569.