NEW YORK — Investors appeared ready to move back into the stock market today, pushing index futures higher after five straight days of heavy selling.

A rebound would be likely be based more on bargain hunting than conviction as very few, if any, analysts and investors expect the day's economic news to show significant improvement.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was to testify on Capitol Hill for a second day on the president's budget proposal.

Investors got a bit of good news from the housing industry today, as homebuilder Toll Brothers said its loss in the fiscal first quarter narrowed as it slashed expenses. Still, revenue plummeted 51 percent as the company sold fewer homes.

Retailer Costco Wholesale said its fiscal second-quarter profit fell 27 percent on weaker sales of nonfood items and the heavy discounting needed to move out merchandise during a sluggish holiday season.

The earnings reports provided more signs of weakness in both housing and consumer spending, two of the most critical sectors of the economy. Many analysts believe that a turnaround in the housing market is necessary before the economy can heal, while consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.