U.S. stock futures fell Tuesday, as investors fretted over the impact that skyrocketing oil prices will have on corporate earnings and as a Federal Reserve interest-rate decision loomed. Less than two hours before the start of trading, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 7.7 points lower at 11754. The S&P 500 futures slipped 9.1 to 1309.2, and the technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures tumbled 16.75 points to 1901.25 amid deal activity. Changes in futures do not always accurately predict early market moves after the opening bell. On Monday, a rally in energy stocks and the continuing plunge of financial and automotive shares left markets spinning their wheels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 0.33 point to 11842.36, nearly unchanged in percentage terms for the day. The flat finish obscured the challenge investors are facing in figuring out how the stubborn advance in energy costs and the deterioration of the broader economic outlook snap together.
