US STOCKS-Futures dip on retail worry, Target drops

(Updates to show futures dipping, adds ICSC data, Berkshire Hathaway)

By Kristina Cooke

NEW YORK, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Wall Street stock index futures dipped on Wednesday, after Target cut is December sales view, fueling concerns about how U.S. retailers fared during the holiday shopping season.

Trading volume was expected to be light following the Christmas holiday while major markets in Europe remained closed.

Target Inc (TGT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) stock fell 3.8 percent before the opening bell, after the retailer warned on Monday its December same-store sales were below expectations.

On Christmas Day, a report by MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse showed retail sales rose 3.6 percent in the holiday season, at the lower end of expectations, helped by a late-season spending surge on some items.

Analysts and policy-makers have been closely monitoring the U.S. consumer for signs that the economy is heading into a recession.

The International Council of Shopping Centers said its index of retail chain store sales rose 2.8 percent last week.

"Target is one of the retail bellwethers, so their lower numbers are going to hurt," said Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey.