US STOCKS-Caterpillar, Apple profits push futures higher

                                
   * Caterpillar, DuPont, Apple post solid earnings
                                
 * Futures up: Dow 51 pts, S&P 500 5.8 pts, Nasdaq 16.50 pts
                                
 * For up-to-the-minute market news, click [STXNEWS/US]
 (Adds Coke earnings, updates prices)
                                
 NEW YORK, Oct 20 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose
on Tuesday after strong quarterly results from bellwethers
Apple and Caterpillar pointed to a solid earnings season.
                                
 Apple Inc's <AAPL.O> profits and sales streaked past Wall
Street forecasts on Monday as sales of iPhones and Mac personal
computers hit quarterly records, sending its shares to all-time
highs after hours on Monday. The stock jumped 6.7 percent to
$202.62 in premarket trade. For details, see [ID:nN19395089]
                                
 U.S. machinery maker Caterpillar Inc <CAT.N> posted
stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings and raised its
full-year forecast. Caterpillar shares jumped 5.9 percent to
$61.25 in premarket. [ID:nN16358657]
                                
 DuPont Co <DD.N> reported an 11 percent jump in
third-quarter profit on Tuesday, topping estimates, but
narrowed its earnings forecast for the year. The stock was up
2.8 percent to $35.58. [ID:nN20416505].
                                
 Texas Instruments Inc <TXN.N> recorded better-than-expected
results on Monday, citing strong demand from the various
industries that uses its chips. The shares rose 2.9 percent to
$24.20 in light trading. [ID:nN19395244]
                                
 Drugmaker Pfizer Inc <PFE.N> said quarterly profit was up
and beat estimates, while diversified U.S. manufacturer United
Technologies Corp <UTX.N> reported a drop in profit, but still
beat estimates. Pfizer shares gained 3 percent to $18.51, while
United Tech added 0.2 percent to $65.55. [ID:nN208741]
[ID:nN20334533]
                                
 Coca-Cola Co slipped 2.2 percent to $53.60 <KO.N>
premarket after the soft drink maker reported adjusted
third-quarter earnings that were a penny above expectations.
[ID:nN20380392]
                                
 "It is an earnings-driven market right now," said Andre
Bakhos, president of Princeton Financial Group in North
Brunswick, New Jersey.
                                
 "As long as well perceived earnings continue to be
reported, this will serve as fuel for the market."
                                
 S&P 500 futures <SPc1> rose 5.8 points and were above fair
value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account
interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the
contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures <DJc1> added 51
points, while Nasdaq futures <NDc1> gained 16.50 points.
                                
 Adecco SA <ADEN.VX>, the world's largest staffing company,
agreed to buy American rival MPS Group Inc <MPS.N> for $1.3
billion, boosting its high-margin and more recession-resistant
professional staffing business. [ID:nBNG199799]. MPS shares
surged 21.5 percent $13.53.
                                
 IMS Health Inc <RX.N>, which provides data on prescription
drug sales, is in talks with private equity firms about selling
the company, sources said Monday. [ID:nN19265890]
                                
 Boeing Co <BA.N> fell 2 percent to $52.38 premarket after
the airplane maker was downgraded to "underweight" by Morgan
Stanley. The firm said shares may face downward pressure on
likely poor aircraft order demand. [ID:nWNAB1009]
                                
 Economic data for Tuesday includes U.S. housing starts data
for September as well as U.S. producer prices data, both due at
8:30 a.m. EDT [1230 GMT].
                                
 (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey
Benkoe)