STOCKS NEWS ASIA - Weak U.S. earnings, oil rise may hurt shares

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares are set for a cautious start on Tuesday, with sentiment dampened by a rebound in oil prices and disappointing earnings from companies including American Express and Apple.

Financial firms such as Japan's Mizuho Financial Group may fall after credit card company American Express reported after the closing bell on Wall Street, a quarterly profit that missed analysts' estimates as it set aside more money to cover credit losses.

Technology firms may also be pressured after iPod maker Apple, flash memory card supplier SanDisk and chip maker Texas Instruments reported results that disappointed investors after the bell.

U.S. stock futures fell following the lacklustre earnings, indicating that Wall Street may open lower on Tuesday.

While a rise in oil toward $131 a barrel could lend support to resource firms such as Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd, it would add to ongoing concerns about the impact of rising fuel costs on consumer spending and economic growth.

Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.9 percent overnight, while the MSCI's measure of Asia Pacific stocks excluding Japan gained 3.2 percent on Monday.