Ford's Mulally Will Stay in Place Through 2014

Alan Mulally, the current CEO of Ford

, said he would remain on to run the company through at least 2014. In recent weeks there has been intense speculation that Mulally would be out soon, and that Ford's board was actively seeking a replacement. As Mulally has been seen as a key force in the turnaround, an unexpected departure could call into question Ford's continued success. Shares of Ford traded up over 0.40 percent on Thursday.