CAT - Stocks Set to Close out Negative Month

Stock futures were mostly higher Tuesday, the last day of the month, as Wall Street tried to maintain momentum from the previous session.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials acquired 52 points, or 0.2%, to 33,069.

Futures for the S&P 500 gained 10.5 points, or 0.3%, at 4,196.25.

Futures for the NASDAQ tacked on 22 points, or 0.2%, to 14,438.50.

During Monday's trading session, the S&P 500 climbed out of correction territory and posted its best day since late August. The NASDAQ added about 1.2%, while the Dow jumped roughly 1.6% in its best day since early June.

The major averages remain on pace to end the month in the red. The Dow has declined 1.7% and the S&P 500 is down 2.8%, in October, in their third consecutive negative month. This marks the first three-month losing streak for both indexes since March 2020. The tech-heavy NASDAQ has declined more than 3% month to date, also on pace for its third negative month in a row.

The earnings season continued Tuesday, with Caterpillar posting its latest quarterly figures. The company's earnings for the third quarter exceeded estimates. However, Caterpillar said in its earnings presentation that fourth-quarter revenue would only be “slightly” higher than the same quarter a year before, worrying investors it could miss analysts' expectations. Shares were down 4%.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.5% Tuesday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 1.7%.

Oil prices hiked 53 cents to $82.84 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices brightened $3.20 to $2,008.80 U.S. an ounce.