Futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Tuesday as the price of oil broke a four-session losing streak, which could lift energy shares, but investors remained cautious ahead of the start of earnings season.

* U.S. stocks have wilted recently as investors questioned the potential strength and timing of an economic recovery. The slump in oil has added to those concerns, with higher crude prices seen as a sign demand and economic stabilization is returning.

* Earnings season gets underway this week with Alcoa Inc set to release its quarterly results. Investors will be focused on companies' outlooks for signs of improvement later in the year.

* A member of the U.S. government's economic advisory panel said the United States should plan to possibly provide more stimulus funds to prop up the economy.

* We should be planning on a contingency basis for a second round of stimulus, said Laura D'Andrea Tyson, a member of the panel advising President Barack Obama on tackling the economic crisis.

* The day's economic agenda includes Redbook's Retail Sales Index of department and chain store sales for June at 8:55 a.m. EDT.

* S&P 500 futures rose 1.30 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 18 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 6 points.

* On Monday, the Dow industrials rose and the S&P 500 rebounded in late trading as investors' concerns about the strength of an economic recovery triggered a move into defensive stocks.

* The Nasdaq ended lower as investors rotated out of the tech sector, which is viewed as more reliant on the economic cycle.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

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