u.s. stock-index futures advance

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Advance; Google Shares Jump in Europe
April 21 (Bloomberg) --

U.S. stock-index futures advanced after Google Inc., the most-used Internet search engine, reported results that topped analysts' estimates.

Google led Internet shares including EBay Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. higher in European trading. Stryker Corp., a maker of medical devices, and Broadcom Corp., a chipmaker, also jumped after their earnings were better than estimated.

``Google is a barometer,'' said Jacques Porta, who helps manage $491 million, including shares of the most-used Internet search engine, at Ofivalmo Patrimoine in Paris. ``Earnings are strong and are supporting stocks.''

Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures expiring in June added 2.8 to 1319.7 at 10:40 a.m. in London. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 11 to 11,397 and Nasdaq 100 Index futures increased 4.75 to 1746.

The Dow average yesterday rallied to its highest level since January 2000 after earnings from General Motors Corp. and Merck & Co. beat estimates and oil retreated from a record. The S&P 500 has climbed for three straight days.

About nine S&P 500 companies are expected to report earnings today. Schlumberger Ltd., the world's largest oilfield- services company by market value; Halliburton Co., the No. 1 oilfield-services company by revenue; and Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S. automaker, are among companies scheduled to report before the market opens.

Google Surges

Google soared $30 to $445 in Germany. Google's first- quarter profit rose 60 percent, exceeding analysts' estimates, as the company extended its lead over Yahoo! Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN. Profit excluding stock-based compensation costs was $2.29 a share, beating the $1.97 average estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson.

Citigroup Inc., UBS AG and Lehman Brothers Inc. were among brokerages that lifted Google share-price estimates today.

Google's results ``will set a better tone for the market,'' Keith Wirtz, chief investment officer at Fifth Third Asset Management in Cincinnati, who helps manage $22 billion, said yesterday.

EBay, the largest auctioneer, advanced 23 cents to $37 in Germany. Amazon.com, the biggest Internet retailer, increased 25 cents to $36.59.

Yahoo, owner of the most-visited U.S. Web site, rose 38 cents to $33.75 in Germany. Intel Corp., the world's biggest chipmaker, added 8 cents to $19.53.

Stryker climbed $1.45 to $45.45. The third-biggest maker of artificial hips and knees said it had a first-quarter profit, excluding some items, of 49 cents a share. A Thomson survey of analysts had estimated 48 cents.

Broadcom, Rambus

Broadcom, which makes chips for consumer devices, added $2.25 to $48.02 in Germany. Its first-quarter earnings almost doubled on increased demand for television set-top boxes. Profit per share, excluding costs such as stock-option expenses, was 36 cents, topping the 34-cent estimate of Credit Suisse's Michael Masdea.

Rambus Inc., which sells chip designs to Intel and Advanced Micro Devices Inc., gained $1.59 to $40.09 in Germany. The stock yesterday added $2.35 to $40.85 in extended trading, regaining some of a slide during regular trading. A jury weighing a patent infringement claim by the company against Hynix Semiconductor Inc. completed a fifth day of deliberations without a verdict.

Sierra Wireless Inc. soared $1.48 to $15.43 in Germany. The maker of wireless-data communications equipment said that it expects revenue next quarter of $52 million, which would exceed the $43.9 million estimate in a Thomson survey.

Titanium, SanDisk

Titanium Metals Corp. jumped $2.61 to $59.85 in Germany. The biggest non-ferrous metals company in the United States announced a 2-for-1 stock split effective May 5. The shares have risen almost sevenfold from $8.25 in the past year.

SanDisk Corp. slid $2.85 to $62.69 in Germany. The world's largest maker of memory cards for portable electronics said first-quarter profit fell 26 percent on costs relating to stock- based compensation and acquisitions.

F5 Networks Inc. plunged $10.17 to $55.30 in Germany. The maker of products to manage Internet traffic said it will have a profit, excluding stock-option expenses, of 50 cents to 51 cents a share on revenue of $96 million to $98 million in its fiscal third quarter. Analysts in a Thomson survey expect profit of 52 cents on revenue of $98.9 million.

The Dow average is up 1.8 percent and the S&P 500 is up 1.7 percent so far this week. The Nasdaq Composite Index has added 1.6 percent.