Stocks are indicated modestly higher on a rather slow news day Monday. Less than thirty minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures hint at possible 30 or 40-point early gain for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Stock index futures ticked higher following a day of gains in overseas markets. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei jumped 2.7 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 2.4 percent. Benchmarks are seeing modest gains across Europe as well.

In the US, the economic calendar is light until home price and consumer confidence data tomorrow morning. Consequently, bonds are drifting lower in quiet trading. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is down 3/32nd and yields 3.79 percent.

The dollar slipped .15 to 91.13 against the Japanese yen. The euro edged down .0014 to 1.3617 against the buck.

Crude oil edged gained 25 cents and recaptured the $80 a barrel level. Gold lost $1 to $1121.

Among the stocks to watch, home improvement retailer Lowe’s (LOW) is up 1.8 percent after reporting a 14-cent per share quarterly profit, which topped analyst estimates by 2 pennies. Smith International (SII) rallied 7 percent on news Schlumberger (SLB) reached a deal to acquire the company for about $45.90 per share. SLB lost 4 percent. Wal-green’s (WAG) edged higher after being mentioned positively in the latest issue of Barron’s. Turkcell (TKC) fell after Goldman Sachs analyst whacked the stock with a sell rating.