By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

Berkshire Hathaway slips after earnings

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock investors were hoping to kick off March on an upbeat note on Monday, with futures edging higher ahead of a raft of economic reports -- including consumer spending and manufacturing numbers -- that will offer signs about the health of the U.S. economy.

Investors were also taking inspiration from Asia, where markets rose after a Chinese central-bank rate cut.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJH5) added 8 points to 18,135, while those for the S&P 500 index (SPH5) gained 0.90 point to 2,103.70. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index (NDH5) picked up 5.25 points, or 0.1%, to 4,447.75.

The small gains came after all three benchmarks on Friday closed out February with solid gains (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-wall-street-waits-for-gdp-sentiment-and-more-fed-speakers-2015-02-27) after a month of more stable oil prices, a temporary solution to Greece's debt woes and accommodative central-bank policies around the world.

Data: There was no shortage of data set the tone for the new month on Monday but icy weather in the Washington may delay slightly (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/federal-offices-to-open-late-but-data-on-time-2015-03-02)the release of economic reports due out. Slate to be released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time were the January personal income, consumer spending and core inflation reports. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expect personal income to have risen by 0.4%, while consumer spending is forecast to have slipped 0.1%. For core inflation, the economists see a 0.1% month-on-month reading.

At 9:45 a.m. Eastern, the February Markit manufacturing purchasing managers index was scheduled to be released , followed by the ISM manufacturing index at 10 a.m. Eastern. Those MarketWatch-polled economists forecast the ISM to have slipped back to 52.8%, from 53.5% in January.

Construction spending, also was due at 10 a.m. Eastern, and is expected to have climbed by 0.3% in January. Read: Economic preview (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid)

Earnings: Reporting ahead of the opening bell, Mylan Inc.(MYL) is projected to report fourth-quarter earnings of $1.05 a share, according to FactSet estimates.

Also reporting on Monday, Sotheby's(BID) is forecast to post fourth-quarter earnings of $1.28 a share.

Weight-loss company Nutrisystem Inc.(NSI) is expected to post fourth-quarter earnings of 16 cents a share.

Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.(SLXP) is projected to report a quarterly loss of 24 cents a share.

Movers and shakers: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(BRKA) slipped 0.2% premarket after the Nebraska-based holding company over the weekend posted lower earnings (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/berkshire-hathaway-profit-shrinks-2015-02-28) for the fourth quarter amid investment derivative gains of $192 million. Warren Buffett will answer questions submitted via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on CNBC from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday. Read: Two books Warren Buffett says you should read (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-books-warren-buffett-says-you-should-read-2015-02-28)

(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-books-warren-buffett-says-you-should-read-2015-02-28)Athersys Inc.(ATHX) rallied 20% ahead of the bell after the biotech firm said it has set up a license agreement with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. .

NXP Semiconductors NV(NXPI) jumped 9% premarket and Freescale Semiconductor Ltd.(FSL) gained 5.2% after the two companies announced a merger with that will create a $40 billion company (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nxp-freescale-agree-to-merge-2015-03-02).

Qualcomm Inc.(QCOM) eked out a 0.3% premarket gain after Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on Sunday introduced its new flagship Galaxy S6 (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/samsung-unveils-galaxy-s6-to-answer-iphone-6-2015-03-01-131032526) smartphone, which contains self-developed processors rather than chips from Qualcomm.

Shares of Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc.(LL) fell 15% in premarket action after the retailer of hardwood flooring was linked to toxic chemicals on "60 Minutes" (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lumber-liquidators-linked-to-health-and-safety-violations/).

Goodrich Petroleum Corp.(GDP) gave up 6.3% after the oil and gas producer said it has started a public offering of 12 million shares to repay debt and for other purposes.

Actavis PLC (ACT) was also in focus ahead of the pharmaceutical company's expected bond sale as early as this week. Actavis needs the cash to pay for its $66 billion purchase of Botox-maker Allergan Inc. (AGN).

Chinese rate-cut: In a surprise move, the People's Bank of China on Saturday lowered the benchmark (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story?guid=%7BC27BAEEA-5F05-42CD-939E-3B9DA0B4A35E%7D) one-year loan to 5.35% and the one-year deposit rate to 2.5%, both cut by a quarter of a percentage point. The central bank signaled in a statement that a looming threat of deflation was a trigger for the rate cut. Asian markets closed mostly higher on Monday (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid).

Other markets: Oil prices (CLJ5) moved firmly lower (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-slides-after-posting-strong-february-gains-2015-03-02) after posting strong gains in February. Gold (GCJ5) inched higher (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid), while the dollar (DXY) traded mixed against other major currencies.

European stock markets were largely lower (http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid), even as data showed inflation rose to negative 0.3% in February from negative 0.6% in January, while the currency union's unemployment rate dropped to the lowest since 2012 (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eurozone-jobless-rate-falls-to-lowest-since-2012-2015-03-02).

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