US Stock Futures Mixed Ahead Of Bernanke Speech

US stock futures are mixed this morning, as investors are awaiting a speech by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 5 points to 13,438.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 1 point to 1,468.20. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 10.75 points to 2,733.00. US stocks closed mostly higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.13% to 13,488.43, the S&P 500 index falling 0.07 points to 1,472.05 and the Nasdaq 100 index gaining 0.12% to 3,125.63. Ben Bernanke will deliver a speech on monetary policy and the country's economy at the University of Michigan at 4 p.m. ET. Ahead of Bernanke's speech, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President John C. Williams and Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Dennis Lockhart will also deliver speeches. PPG Industries PPG is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $1.53 per share on revenue of $3.59 billion. Material Sciences MASC is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $34.70 million. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory RMCF is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.16 per share on revenue of $9.41 million. Majesco Entertainment Co COOL is expected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.02 per share on revenue of $23.97 million. Vera Bradley VRA announced the resignation of its Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Jeffrey A. Blade. Hostess Brands announced its plans to sell most of its bread business to Flowers Foods FLO for $390 million. European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 0.16%, London's FTSE 100 Index gained 0.15%, German DAX 30 Index surged 0.78% and French CAC 40 Index rose 0.53%. Asian markets ended higher, with China's Shanghai Composite jumping 3.06% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index gaining 0.25%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.64% and India's Sensex surged 1.23%. Crude oil for delivery in February gained $0.63 to trade at $94.19 a barrel. The ICE dollar index (DXY) declined to 0.12% to trade at 79.45, down from 79.566 in North America late on Friday. The US dollar fell 0.02% versus the Japanese yen to trade at ¥89.2950. The euro gained 0.08% against the dollar to $1.3373, versus $1.3341.