* Trading volume low as quarter nears end
* Halliburton down after comments, Lennar shares rally
* Case-Shiller home prices, consumer confidence on tap
* Futures up: Dow 23 pts, S&P 1.9 pts, Nasdaq 6 pts
* For up-to-the-minute market news see []
(Adds comment, corporate results)
By Ryan Vlastelica
NEW YORK, March 29 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures
were flat on Tuesday near the quarter's end as investors took a
wait-and-see stance, unsure about the impact of global crises.
In one sign of the spillover from overseas events,
oilfield-services company Halliburton Co said its quarterly
earnings were hurt in part by turmoil in oil-producing
regions.
The S&P 500 index is up 4.2 percent in the quarter, and in
the absence of further clarity on such issues as Japan's
nuclear power problems and the civil unrest in the Middle East
and North Africa, many investors are choosing not to risk their
gains. The trading volume in Monday's session was the lowest of
the year.
"Despite the significant events in the Middle East and
Japan, the market has help up very well, so many portfolio
managers are staying pat as the quarter ends," said Oliver
Pursche, president at Gary Goldberg Financial Services in
Suffern, New York. "Until we get a better handle on those
issues, there's no overwhelming reason to become more
invested."
Late Monday, Halliburton <HAL.N> said it would cut its
first-quarter earnings because of the unrest in the Middle East
and North Africa and weather-related events in North America
and Australia. The stock slid 1 percent to $47.40 in light
premarket trading. For details, see []
Pursche said that while other oil-related stocks could face
similar issues, he didn't expect the overseas events to impact
results in the upcoming earnings season.
Lennar Corp <LEN.N> rose 2.3 percent to $20.20 before the
bell after the homebuilder swung to profit in the first
quarter. []
Dow component Home Depot Inc <HD.N> late Monday said it
would buy back $1 billion of outstanding shares through an
accelerated stock buyback program with Barclays.
[] Its shares rose 1.6 percent to $37.24 in light
premarket trading.
S&P 500 futures <SPc1> rose 1.9 points but were below fair
value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account
interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the
contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures <DJc1> added 23
points and Nasdaq 100 futures <NDc1> rose 6 points.
Spicemaker McCormick & Co <MKC.N> reported a first-quarter
profit that beat expectations, while Apollo Group <APOL.O> fell
7.9 percent to $39.02 in premarket trading after the education
company said new enrollment fell 45 percent in second quarter.
[] []
Economic indicators include January Case-Shiller data, due
at 9 a.m. [] and March consumer confidence, which is
seen falling from the prior month.
Wal-Mart Stores <WMT.N> will urge the U.S. Supreme Court on
Tuesday to reject a case brought on behalf of female employees
who allege the retailer gave women less pay and fewer
promotions in the largest, class-action sex-discrimination
lawsuit ever. []
Goldman Sachs downgraded property and casualty insurance
company Travelers Cos Inc <TRV.N>. []
On Monday, U.S. stocks fell, with consumer shares hurt
after hotel operator Marriott International <MAR.N>.
(Editing by Kenneth Barry)
