US futures drop, Asia stocks up
US stock-index futures dropped, indicating the Standard & Poor's 500 Index will retreat after its steepest 23-day advance since 1933. Asian stocks climbed for a third day as Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso doubled stimulus spending.
Express Scripts Inc, the third-largest manager of US drug benefits, may be active after agreeing to buy Wellpoint Inc's pharmacy-benefit management units for $4.68 billion.
Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and General Electric Co are among more than 30 S&P 500 companies scheduled to announce results this week. Profits at S&P 500 companies probably fell for a seventh-straight quarter in the January-to-March period, the longest stretch of declines since at least the Great Depression.
