U.S. stock futures are creeping higher Monday, ahead of a closely watched manufacturing report. The Standard & Poor's 500 index appears poised to add to its record high reached last week, according to AP. KEEPING SCORE: Less than an hour before the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 20 points to 16,724. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures are up a point to 1,922 while Nasdaq 100 futures are up two points to 3,737. The S&P 500 index, the widely used benchmark for mutual funds, closed at a record 1,923.57 on Friday. MANUFACTURING: The Institute for Supply Management releases its survey of U.S. manufacturing production, orders and other activity for May at 10 a.m. Eastern time. The ISM, a trade group of purchasing managers, is expected to report that its manufacturing index edged up to 55.5, from 54.9 in April, according to FactSet. Any reading above 50 signals an increase. A DEAL: The real-estate investment trust Ventas said it has reached a deal to buy American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust Inc. in a $2.6 billion cash-and-stock deal. The companies each own medical care offices along with other properties. A.R.C.'s stock was up $1.11, or 11 percent, to $11.06 in premarket trading. Ventas plans to pay $11.33 a share for A.R.C. Ventas Inc. fell $1.79, or 2.7 percent, to $65.01 in Premark trading. EUROPE: Germany's DAX was up 0.2 percent, while France's CAC 40 shed 0.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.3 percent BONDS AND COMMODS: In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the 10-year Treasury is 2.49 percent, up slightly from 2.48 percent late Friday but still near its low for the year, 2.44 percent. Crude oil inched up six cents to $102.77 a barrel.
