Following yesterday's gains, futures indicate a lower open for the mkt. While there are a number of minor headlines drawing interest, investors may simply be taking profits after yesterday's surprisingly strong gains. Texas Instruments (TXN) updated its Q3 business outlook yesterday after the close, narrowing its EPS and revenue guidance. The stock is trading down nearly 2% pre-market, however, as investors were expecting the co to follow other tech cos (ADI, NSM, INTC, CY) and raise guidance, though recently the co has not during these updates. Oil is trading at record prices and the dollar has set a new all-time low vs. the euro after the National Association of Realtors cut its home sales forecast yesterday. It's also worth noting the Nikkei closed lower after the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Russian President Putin dissolved the Russian Govt on the request of its Prime Minister (Putin is still in charge, this is likely just a reshuffling ahead of the Dec elections). Dow futures are currently -26; Nasdaq futures are currently -8.5; S&P futures are currently -4.8.

Notable pre-market Calls include Upgrades: TSO and FTO at BofA, GSF and RIG at JPMorgan, AMGN at UBS; Downgrades: SUN at BofA, WPPGY and PUB at Citi; Initiations: AAPL and MOT at Morgan Keegan (Mkt Perform)... On the Earnings calendar: AZPN, SEH and BRLC are the only cos confirmed to report after the close... Today's Economic calendar is empty.

Gapping Down on weak earnings/guidance: NUE -2.9% (other steel stocks AKS and X are gapping -2% in sympathy)... Other news: ACH -10.5% (AA selling entire stake in ACH for up to $2 bln according to Reuters), HRB -3.7% (co announced additional job cuts after the close yesterday), CRZO -3.6% (prices registered direct offering below share price), AEO -3.2% (downgraded to Sell at Merrill), PKX -3% (scrapped a plan to buy a stake in China's Lonemy), ENT -2.9% (announces proposed divestiture of non-core properties)

Gapping up on strong earnings/guidance: JOSB +3.0%... Other news: CRDC +12.5% (receives European CE Mark for C-Port Flex A System for use in coronary artery bypass surgery), HEPH +9.3% (reports on anti-inflammatory activity with HE3286 in models of diseases of inflammation), NPSP +9.0% (initiated with a Buy and $12 tgt at Oppenheimer), UTSI +9.3% (announced a multi-year, multi-mln dollar contract with Bell & Tell in Pakistan), TAYD +6.9% (trading higher following earthquake in Indonesia's Sumatra region, tsunami warning issued), BRLC +5.9% (Q4 earnings rescheduled to after the close today), DIVX +3.3% (announces agreement with Qualcomm), FSLR +2.9% (initiated with a Buy at a tier-1 firm).

Gapping up: CRDC +12.5%, NPSP +9.0%, UTSI +8.2%, TAYD +6.9%, BRLC +5.7%, FSLR +2.9%, AU +2.8%, AMGN +2.2%, VMW +1.8%, TS +1.6%... Gapping down: ACH -11.1%, AAUK -2.9%, TXN -2.7%, AEO -2.4% GOLD -2.4%, NOK -2.3%, RTP -2.3%, CFC -2.3%, ALU -2.2%, IFX -2.1%, AUY -2.1%, BHP -2.0%.