Stocks Seen Higher as Oil Dips NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open higher on Thursday opening as oil prices retreat from record highs, easing fears that spiraling costs will crimp corporate profits. Shares in The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) may fall after the company issued a third-quarter profit warning. Investors will also be keeping an eye out for news from drug company Merck & Co. (MRK.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) . The company is holding a press conference in New York City with its chief executive to discuss new information on a current product. S&P 500 futures inched up nearly a point, above fair value accounting for interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract, indicating the market would open higher. Dow Jones industrial index futures rose 8 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures edged up a point. On the final day of the quarter, a period in which the major U.S. stock indexes have all lost ground, and with earnings season heating up next week, a handful of companies are due to report, including food and beverage company PepsiCo Inc. (PEP.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) , retailer Family Dollar Stores (FDO.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) , and Research In Motion (RIMM.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) , maker of the BlackBerry wireless email device. U.S. light crude dipped 23 cents to $49.28 a barrel in electronic trading. A rise in U.S. crude inventories and a truce in Nigeria have relieved concerns over a potential severe supply disruption as the northern hemisphere heads into winter. "We're seeing a higher open with the relief in oil prices," said Hilary Cook, director of investment strategy at Barclays Stockbrokers. "When the price fell below $50, investors got back to looking at the fundamentals." Investors will pay attention to a crucial debate between President Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry that will give voters their first chance to size up the two White House candidates side by side. Polls indicate as many as one-quarter of American voters may be swayed by the debates. Micron Technology Inc. (MU.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) , a top computer memory chip maker, may be active after it reported a quarterly profit on stronger pricing, reversing a year-earlier loss.     Continued ... Quelle "Stocks Seen Higher as Oil Dips" : reuters.com Main page for "Stocks Seen Higher as Oil Dips"