Volume was lower on the Nasdaq exchange while higher on the New York Stock Exchange compared with Monday, in preliminary numbers. On the Nasdaq exchange, falling stocks edged out rising ones by more than 2-to-1. In yet another rotation on the NYSE, winners slightly edged out losers.

U.S. equities are poised for gains at the open on Tuesday, with futures on the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all trending upward in pre-market activity. The advance follows a mixed but resilient close on Monday,

Starbucks stocks slipped 0.2 per cent after reporting a weaker profit than analysts expected as it tries to turn around its operations.