Australia: -0.02% today.

Nikkei 225 (Japan): +0.98% today.

Europe is flat to down at mid-day:

FTSE 100 (UK): -0.25% at 12:00 PM.

DAX (Germany): -0.14% at 1:00 PM

CAC 40 (France): -0.21% at 1:00 PM

SPY pre market open: +0.2% at 109.95 at 7:15 AM EST

QQQQ pre market open: +0.7% at 7:15 AM

Economic Indicators: The number of building permits and housing starts for September are announced at 8:29 AM EST. The number of building permits issued is expected to be 595K compared to 579K in August. The number of houses started in September is expected to be 610K compared to 598K in August.

A minute later, the producer price index (PPI) is announced for September. It is expected to be flat compared to August. The core PPI, excluding food and oil, is expected to show a 0.1% rise.

Earnings Announcements: Coke (KO) soft drink maker, Forest Labs (FRX) drug maker, and Lockheed Martin (LMT) a defense contractor, before the market opens today.

Earnings Announcements After the Close:Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) surgical robot maker went on a wild ride three months ago on earnings, SanDisk (SNDK) flash storage card maker, and CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) logistics company, announce earnings after the close today.

Australia: +0.64 today; -0.05% today.

Nikkei 225 (Japan): +0.15% today.

Europe at mid-day:

FTSE 100 (UK): -0.01% at 11:17 AM.

DAX (Germany): -0.42% at 12:17 PM

CAC 40 (France): +0.05% at 12:17 PM

SPY pre market open: -0.1 at 105.16 at 6:17 AM

QQQQ pre market open: -0.2% at 6:17 AM

Economic Indicators:Retail sales is expected to show an increase of 2% in August over July when announced at 8:29 AM EST. Most of that increase, 1.6%, is from the cash for clunkers program.

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for August is announced at 8:29 also. It is expected to show a monthly increase of 0.8% over July after a 0.9% decrease in July. The volatility in the number comes from crude oil and food. The core number, with oil and food taken out, is expected to show a 0.1% increase.

Manufacturing in NY region for September is discussed at 8:30 AM. It is expected to go to 15 from 12.08 in August.

Business inventories for July is expected to drop 0.9% from June levels when announced at 9:59 AM.

Earnings Announcements: Best Buy (BBY) an electronics store chain, and Kroger’s (KR) a supermarket chain, and Adobe Systems (ADBE) a software company, announce earnings today.

Australia: +1.90%

Nikkei 225 (Japan): +2.34%

Asia up as a knock=on effect of US Monday return?

FTSE 100 (UK): +0.56% at 10 AM

DAX (Germany): +0.77% at 11 AM

CAC 40 (France): +2.31% at 11 AM

Europe up moderately.

S&P 500 (Globex): 0.0% at 5:21 AM

Nasdaq (Globex): 0.1%

Economic Indicators: June retail sales comes out at 8:29 AM EST. Retail sales are 10% lower than last year. The consensus estimate is that June sales are +0.4% over May.

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for June comes out at 8:29 AM too. It is expected to show a 1% rise over May. Core PPI is up 3% year over year.

Business inventories is expected to show a 0.8% drop in June over May when announced at 9:59 AM EST. The inventory to sales ratio has shot up to 1.44 since sales have fallen by 15%, while inventories only by 5% year over year.

Goldman Sachs (GS) before the market opens, Intel (IITC) after the close and DELL has a call before the open, Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), and Yum! Brands(YUM) after the market closes, and Altera Corp (ALTR) after the close announce earnings.