Stock futures point to weaker Wall Street opening

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 are down 0.3-0.5 percent, pointing to a weaker start on Wall Street on Tuesday, after a strong rally in the previous session.

Highlights:

* The U.S. Commerce Department is scheduled to issue its preliminary (second) estimate of third-quarter GDP at 1330 GMT. Economists forecast a 0.5 percent drop, compared with a first-reading contraction of 0.3 percent, according to the median forecast of 76 economists polled by Reuters.

* U.S. Commerce Department is set to issue preliminary Q3 Corporate Profits at 8:30 a.m. EST. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a 6.0 percent decline versus a 5.4 percent fall in the previous report.

* The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp holds its quarterly briefing. The market expects an update on number of troubled banks at the end of the third quarter and size of the FDIC deposit insurance fund, along with commentary on the state of the industry from chairman Sheila Bair.

* U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to hold press update at 10 a.m. EST on the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.

* No. 1 U.S. homebuilder D.R. Horton reports fourth-quarter earnings after making a preliminary announcement on November 4 that it anticipated both a $800 million to $900 million loss and a tax refund, twice as large as expected, that should take care of the company's debt obligations through 2011.

The market is expecting a loss of $2.73 per share, compared with a loss of 16 cents per share a year earlier, according to Reuters Estimates.

* Dollar Tree, which sells most of its merchandise for $1, is expected to report a higher quarterly profit as cash-strapped shoppers seek out bargains on food and household cleaners. The company is expected to report EPS of 44 cents, up from 38 cents a year earlier.