Stock futures pointed to a higher open on Monday as investors were hopeful banks will be able to raise any capital they may need as a result of findings in the government stress tests.

* Fears over the swine flu outbreak eased over the weekend as the Mexican health ministry announced its flu epidemic had passed the worst and experts said the virus might be no more severe than normal flu, although it could still have an impact on world health.

* The amount of capital Citigroup Inc would need to raise after the test results are final is likely to be manageable if the bank needs to boost its equity at all, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

* The Financial Times reported, citing people close to the situation, that Bank of America Corp is working on plans to raise more than $10 billion in fresh capital, even as it and Citigroup Inc launch last-ditch attempts to convince the U.S. government they do not need to bolster their balance sheets.

* The government has assessed 19 major U.S. banks to ensure the institutions have sufficient capital to withstand the recession. The results are expected to show banks must raise possibly $150 billion or more in fresh capital.

* S&P 500 futures rose 4.20 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures climbed 49 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 7.75 points.

* On the data front, investors were awaiting monthly pending home sales data for insight on the health of the housing market.

* In the auto sector, Italy's Fiat SpA said it could seek a merger of its auto group with General Motors Corp's Europe unit, then spin off the combined company and list it. Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, fresh from a partnership with ailing U.S. automaker Chrysler, will meet German government ministers on Monday to discuss a bid for German car maker Opel, part of GM Europe.

* American International Group Inc is close to selling its Japanese headquarters for about $1 billion and the expected buyer is a Japanese insurance company, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

* Stocks rose on Friday as surging oil prices pushed energy shares higher and fresh economic data suggested key parts of the economy could be stabilizing.

* The Nasdaq's gains for the week marked the eighth straight weekly advance for the index, it's longest streak since December 1999. Since rallying from March's bear market low, the S&P 500 is up nearly 30 percent.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)

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