Stocks set to open higher after 3-day rout

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — U.S. stocks were set for a higher open Friday, as oil prices edged up, and investors awaited the latest reading on the health of the U.S. economy.

Dow Jones industrial average (INDU), S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq (COMP) futures were higher ahead of the opening bell. Futures measure current index values against perceived future performance.

On Thursday, stocks rebounded from afternoon lows and finished with small losses, as oil prices retreated from two-year highs above $100 a barrel.

“You might get a little bit of a relief rally, because oil prices are hovering around the $96 to $97 [per barrel] range,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist for Avalon Partners. “We’re looking at stable commodity prices.”

All three major indexes are on track for their worst week since August. Despite the pullback, stocks are still higher for the month of February and the year.

The Dow has posted losses for three consecutive sessions, losing 285 points this week, or 2.5%. Monday and Tuesday’s plunges were the first back-to-back triple-digit declines since June.

“We’ve seen a pullback in oil prices and there seems to be a direct correlation in the last couple days between stock prices and oil prices,” said Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott.

The biggest catalyst for even higher oil prices would be “if turmoil in the Middle East pours into another more strategic country, like Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Economy: Wall Street will get a second reading on U.S. fourth-quarter gross domestic product Friday morning. Economists expect GDP to come in slightly higher, at 3.3% growth from the prior reading of 3.2%.

A final read on February’s University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey also is on the docket. The index is expected to remain unchanged at 75.1.

Companies: Shares of Boeing (BA, Fortune 500) were 5% higher in premarket trading, after the aerospace company won a $35 billion contract from the Air Force late Thursday.

Bailed-out insurer AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) posted an $11 billion profit for the fourth quarter, and $10 billion in earnings for the full year. Shares were up slightly in premarkets.

JC Penney (JCP, Fortune 500) rounds out a retail-heavy week of quarterly results when it reports its earnings before the market open. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for the department store chain to earn $1.08 a share.

World markets: European stocks rose in morning trading. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged higher 1%, the DAX in Germany ticked up 0.5% and France’s CAC 40 gained 1.5%.

Asian markets ended the session mostly higher. The Shanghai Composite was flat, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 1.8% and Japan’s Nikkei added 0.7%.

Currencies and commodities: The dollar gained strength against the euro and the British pound but slipped against the Japanese yen.

Oil for April delivery gained 50 cents, or 0.5%, to $97.77 a barrel.

Motorists are feeling the spike. The nationwide average price for gasoline rose nearly 6 cents overnight, according to AAA. This means that prices have jumped nearly 12 cents this week.

Gold futures for April delivery fell $10.80, or 0.8%, to $1,405 an ounce.

Bonds: The price on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury fell, pushing the yield up to 3.46% from 3.42% late Thursday.  

First Published: February 25, 2011: 7:36 AM ET