By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Priceline forecast falls short

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures indicated gains for Wall Street Monday, finding support in part from a top Federal Reserve official's comments that suggest monetary policy may still be needed to aid recovery in the world's largest economy.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJU4) climbed 61 points, or 0.4%, to 16,542, while those for the S&P 500 index (SPU4) rose 9 points, or 0.5%, to 1,932.50. The Nasdaq 100 index (NDU4) moved 22 points, or 0.6%, higher to 3,895.50. See Need To Know column: Buy the dips in this market?

In terms of quarterly results, investors are looking at figures from online travel services provider Priceline. There is no major economic data on deck. (Read more in Stocks to Watch http://www.marketwatch.com/story/priceline-and-dean-foods-are-stocks-to-watch-monday-2014-08-08.).

Ahead of Wall Street's open, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer, in prepared comments for delivery at a conference in Stockholm, said rebounds across advanced economies have been disappointing, leading many observers, including the Fed, to reduce their long-term expectations for growth potential in the U.S.

It's also still not clear whether U.S. economic growth was permanently damaged by the most recent recession, he said.

A higher start for equities would key off gains from Friday's session during which geopolitical tensions appeared to have cooled. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) jumped 186 points, or 1.1%, its biggest one-day percentage gain in more than four months as Russia ended military exercises on the Ukraine border.

Also read: Is this stock market a Super Moon illusion, or should you buy the dips?

Stocks to watch

Priceline (PCLN) shares fell 2.7% in premarket trade after the company forecast third-quarter adjusted earnings of $19.60 to $21.10 a share. That's lower than the current FactSet consensus estimate of $21.28 a share. Second-quarters results were above expectations.

Shares of Mannkind (MNKD) surged 28% in premarket trade after the company reached a licensing deal with Sanofi (SNY) to develop and sell inhaled insulin drug Afreeza in the U.S.

Kinder Morgan (KMI) jumped 15% ahead of the bell following plans to consolidate its oil-and-gas pipeline empire into a single company in a $44 billion deal. (Read more about the day's notable movers here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/priceline-and-dean-foods-are-stocks-to-watch-monday-2014-08-08.)

In other markets, oil futures (CLU4) posted minor gains, as did gold futures (GCZ4) . European stocks rose following last week's losses, and Asian shares advanced, with Japan's Nikkei Average up 2.4%.

More must-reads from MarketWatch:

10 stocks with the biggest cuts in earnings estimates

Can J.C. Penney stay on the comeback trail?

Why small-cap stocks will likely feel the most pain

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