Vodafone Share News (VOD)

* Yum shares fall on shrinkage of sales in China * Monsanto stock jumps after strong earnings, raised outlook * GameStop shares slide after sales data, guidance * Dow, S&P 500 off 0.3 pct, Nasdaq down 0.16 pct By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK, Jan 8 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changedat the open on Tuesday as an earnings season expected to showsluggish corporate growth gets under way. Profits in the fourth quarter are seen above the previousquarter's lackluster results, but analysts' current estimatesare down sharply from where they were in October. Quarterlyearnings are expected to grow by 2.8 percent, according toThomson Reuters data. If earnings growth appears to be "less bad" than expectedthat would translate into a near-term uptick in the market,according to Eric Wiegand, senior portfolio manager at U.S. BankWealth Management in New York. "But I think there's still ample areas for concern," hesaid, listing policy worries in Washington and uneven economicactivity as a result of Superstorm Sandy during last quarter. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 40.65 points,or 0.30 percent, to 13,343.64. The S&P 500 lost 4.28points, or 0.29 percent, to 1,457.61. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 5.04 points, or 0.16 percent, to 3,093.78. German data showed industrial orders fell more than forecastin November due to a sharp drop in demand from abroad,reinforcing concerns that Europe's largest economy may havecontracted in the fourth quarter of 2012. Monsanto Co shares rose 3.2 percent to $99.05 afterhitting a more than four-year high at $99.99. The world'slargest seed company raised its earnings outlook for fiscal 2013and posted strong first-quarter results. Education provider Apollo Group and Dow componentAlcoa Inc, the largest U.S. aluminum producer, round outthe start of earnings season after the closing bell. Shares of restaurant-chain operator Yum Brands Inc fell 4.6 percent to $64.78 a day after the KFC parent warnedsales in China, its largest market, shrank more than expected inthe fourth quarter. London-traded Vodafone shares rose almost 2 percentafter its partner in U.S. joint venture Verizon Wireless said itwould be "feasible" to buy out the British group. U.S.-tradedVodafone stock fell 1.5 percent. Sears Holdings shares fell 1.4 percent to $42.31 aday after the company said its chief executive will step downfor family health reasons. The U.S. retailer also reported a 1.8percent decline in quarter-to-date sales at stores open at leasta year. GameStop shares fell 7.1 percent to $23 after itreported sales for the holiday season and cut its guidance.