The major US equity indices are today being called to bounce back slightly, by just under half a percentage point on average, following yesterday's slide.

That ahead of the release of the ISM Institute's service sector purchasing managers' index this afternoon, at 15:00.

Acting as a backdrop, the US Justice Department yesterday filed civil charges alleging wrongdoing by Standard & Poor's in its rating of mortgage bonds before the financial crisis erupted in 2008, according to people familiar with the matter.

Back on the company front, shares of Virgin Media are surging after announcing that it has entered talks on a possible deal with John Malone's Liberty Global.

Dell rose 0.8% as the board was said to be voting on an offer to take the computer maker private, Bloomberg reports citing people with knowledge of the matter. The transaction amount may come in towards $24bn.

Fast food restaurant giant Yum! Brands is falling sharply after cutting its profit forecast.

10 year Treasury yields are now rising by 5 basis points to the 2.0% mark.

Front month West Texas crude futures are higher by 0.71% to the $96.80/barrel level on the NYMEX.

AB

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