U.S. stock index futures signal higher open

* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher opening for equities on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 SPc1, for the Dow Jones DJc1 and for the Nasdaq 100 NDc1 up 0.2 to 0.3 percent.

* The United States edged closer on Tuesday to a devastating default as Republicans and Democrats were deadlocked over competing plans to raise the debt ceiling, one week before a deadline to act.

* President Barack Obama, in a televised address aimed at rallying public support for a package proposed by Democrats, warned that failure to increase the U.S. borrowing limit would severely hurt the nation.

* At 1145 GMT, ICSC/Goldman Sachs release chain store sales for the week ended July 23 versus the prior week. In the previous week, sales were up 0.4 percent.

* Redbook releases at 1255 GMT its Retail Sales Index of department and chain store sales for July versus June. In the prior period, sales fell 0.2 percent.

* Major companies due to announce results include Amazon.com , Ford Motor Co , Cummins Inc , 3M and Gilead Sciences .

* Standard & Poor's releases its S&P Case/Shiller Home Price Index for May at 1300 GMT. Economists in a Reuters survey expect the price index to be unchanged versus a 0.1 percent drop in April.

* At 1400 GMT the Conference Board releases July consumer confidence. Economists expect a reading of 56.0 compared with 58.5 in June.

* Resource-related stocks will be in focus as copper prices rose for the first time in five sessions on a weaker dollar. Other key base metals also advanced.

* The Commerce Department releases at 1400 GMT new home sales for June. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a total of 320,000 annualised units compared with 319,000 in May.

* At 1400 GMT Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond releases July indexes on area manufacturing and service sectors. In June the composite manufacturing index was 3, the shipments index was -1, and the services revenue index read -4.

* Adecco , the world's largest staffing company, said it would buy U.S.-based Drake Beam Morin for an enterprise value of 149 million euros in a bid to improve its career transition and development business.

* U.S. specialty finance company Orchid Island Capital Inc has postponed its initial public offering (IPO) due to market conditions, an underwriter told Reuters.

* European shares were flat, while Japan's Nikkei average gained 0.5 percent.

* On Monday the Dow Jones industrial average fell 88.36 points, or 0.70 percent, at 12,592.80. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 7.59 points, or 0.56 percent, at 1,337.43. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 16.03 points, or 0.56 percent, at 2,842.80. (Reporting by Atul Prakash; Editing by Greg Mahlich)