Feb 6- The corner is far from turned in Europe, but for some U.S. companies there is a sense that they have reached- or can at least see- a bottom after years of weakness, a welcome change that could help boost profits in 2013..
Stocks fell, as a batch of disappointing corporate earnings and a rise in first time jobless claims eventually overtook investors' impulse to buy.
*Facebook slumps in premarket after earnings. NEW YORK, Jan 31- U.S. stocks were little changed on Thursday as investors mulled a mixed bag of economic data, though earnings from Qualcomm helped lift the Nasdaq. The report followed a disappointing survey from the mid-Atlantic and New York regions.
*Facebook slumps in premarket after earnings. Facebook Inc shares lost 6.4 percent to $29.23 in premarket trading.
UPS, the world's largest package-delivery company, said it expects earnings to rise 6 percent to 12 percent in 2013, to $4.80 to $5.06 per share, which is below the average Wall Street target of $5.11.
Jan 31- United Parcel Service Inc expects to record "relatively flat" earnings in the first quarter, Chief Financial Officer Kurt Kuehn told analysts on a conference call. "For the first quarter we anticipate earnings per share growth will be relatively flat," Kuehn said.
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Thursday, as shares in Asia and Europe took a breather from recent rallies after fourth quarter U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) data disappointed.
UPS, the world's largest package-delivery company, said it expects earnings to rise 6 percent to 12 percent in 2013, to $4.80 to $5.06 per share, which is below the average Wall Street target of $5.11.
*Facebook slumps in premarket after earnings. Facebook Inc shares lost 4.6 percent to $29.83 in premarket trading. Qualcomm Inc gained 6.3 percent to $67.55 in premarket trading after the world's leading supplier of chips for cellphones beat analysts' expectations for quarterly profit and revenue and raised its financial targets for 2013..
Jan 31- United Parcel Service Inc reported fourth-quarter earnings below analysts' estimates and set a weaker-than-expected profit forecast for 2013, sending its shares lower.
Jan 31- United Parcel Service Inc reported a net loss in the fourth quarter after a $3 billion one-time charge from pension accounting, and forecast that 2013 earnings would rise 6 percent to 12 percent. UPS, the world's largest parcel delivery company, on Thursday posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $1.75 billion, or $1.83 per share, after the non-cash charge.
Jan 31- United Parcel Service Inc reported a fourth-quarter net loss after taking a large pension-related charge and forecast weaker-than-expected 2013 profit due to an uneven global economy.
*Facebook shares fall after earnings, Qualcomm up. NEW YORK, Jan 31- U.S. stocks edged lower on Thursday as investors took profit after a mixed bag of economic data, while stellar earnings from Qualcomm helped buoy the Nasdaq. Even with the retreat, the S&P 500 is on track to post its best month since October 2011 and its best start to a year since 1997..