U.S. stocks were mixed Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 barely higher and the Nasdaq 100 slightly in the red after the new left-wing Greek government dropped plans to seek a write-down on its debt and instead suggested swapping debt for securities that are tied to economic growth.
In economic data out Tuesday, factory orders for December, out at 10:00 a.m. E.T., are expected to show a 2.2% decline from November. In November factory orders fell 0.7%. The consensus range for December is between a decline of 3.5% and an increase of 0.4%, according to data compiled by Econoday.
In equities, Office Depot ( ODP ) and Staples ( SPLS ) surged 15% and 16%, respectively, in recent pre-market trade, with Staples shares poised for a four-year high, after the Wall Street Journal reported the two office products companies are in advanced talks to merge.