S&P 500 <.SPX> companies due to report quarterly results include technology bellwethers Sun Microsystems and Yahoo as well as drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb , chemical maker DuPont and telecoms group Verizon .

On Monday, American Express , Texas Instruments and Netflix reported better than expected results.

Economic data due on Tuesday include the S&P Case/Shiller Home Price Index for November at 1400 GMT, the Richmond Fed's manufacturing and services indexes for January at 1500 GMT and consumer confidence for January, also at 1500 GMT.

The Federal Reserve's monetary policy setting Federal Open Market Committee begins its two-day meeting on interest rates.

(Reporting by Peter Starck)