A proposed $64 billion merger in the drug sector and a reading of the housing market will kick off the week on Wall Street Monday.
Early Monday, futures pointed to a mixed open for the major indexes, as the S&P futures suggested a slightly higher open, while Nasdaq futures pointed slightly lower there.
The drug deal involves French drugmaker Sanofi-Synthelabo, which reached an agreement to buy German drugmaker Aventis for 53.7 billion, or $64 billion. The agreement, which would create the world's No. 3 pharmaceutical company, ends a three-month takeover battle that began with a hostile 47 billion stock-and-cash offer made by Sanofi in January.
The only economic report due Monday is a reading of new home sales for March due at 10 a.m. ET. Analysts surveyed by Briefing.com expect the annual sales rate edged up to 1.17 million from 1.16 million in February.
The Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq composite index are both coming off a winning week. The Dow, up 11.64 Friday, managed a 0.2 percent gain, while the Nasdaq, after a 16.86 advance Friday, was 2.7 percent higher for the week.
While most other Asian-Pacific stock indexes ended Monday with declines, Tokyo's Nikkei index managed a 0.4 percent advance for its best finish since August 2001. European markets rose in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
In corporate news, Boeing (BA: Research, Estimates) said Monday that All Nippon Airways ordered 50 of its new 7E7 jets in the largest commercial jet launch order in the U.S. aircraft maker's history. The order is worth an estimated $6 billion, based on list price, although especially for a launch order there is likely a significant discount.
Boeing (BA: Research, Estimates), a component of the Dow Jones industrial average, closed Friday up 18 cents to $42.27.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, General Electric (GE: Research, Estimates) shares were higher. The conglomerate is one of 12 companies for which the pension fund manager Calpers says it will withhold votes for director positions. But the company also is one of the suppliers of engines to the new Boeing jet.
Investors will also be watching for news from the board meeting of Walt Disney (DIS: Research, Estimates), which is holding a two-day meeting Monday and Tuesday, its most extensive discussions since shareholder unrest caused the board to strip CEO Michael Eisner of his chairman title.
The dollar was higher against the euro and little changed versus the yen.
Brent oil futures rallied 34 cents to $33.43 a barrel in London, where gold was slightly higher.
Early Monday, futures pointed to a mixed open for the major indexes, as the S&P futures suggested a slightly higher open, while Nasdaq futures pointed slightly lower there.
The drug deal involves French drugmaker Sanofi-Synthelabo, which reached an agreement to buy German drugmaker Aventis for 53.7 billion, or $64 billion. The agreement, which would create the world's No. 3 pharmaceutical company, ends a three-month takeover battle that began with a hostile 47 billion stock-and-cash offer made by Sanofi in January.
The only economic report due Monday is a reading of new home sales for March due at 10 a.m. ET. Analysts surveyed by Briefing.com expect the annual sales rate edged up to 1.17 million from 1.16 million in February.
The Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq composite index are both coming off a winning week. The Dow, up 11.64 Friday, managed a 0.2 percent gain, while the Nasdaq, after a 16.86 advance Friday, was 2.7 percent higher for the week.
While most other Asian-Pacific stock indexes ended Monday with declines, Tokyo's Nikkei index managed a 0.4 percent advance for its best finish since August 2001. European markets rose in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
In corporate news, Boeing (BA: Research, Estimates) said Monday that All Nippon Airways ordered 50 of its new 7E7 jets in the largest commercial jet launch order in the U.S. aircraft maker's history. The order is worth an estimated $6 billion, based on list price, although especially for a launch order there is likely a significant discount.
Boeing (BA: Research, Estimates), a component of the Dow Jones industrial average, closed Friday up 18 cents to $42.27.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, General Electric (GE: Research, Estimates) shares were higher. The conglomerate is one of 12 companies for which the pension fund manager Calpers says it will withhold votes for director positions. But the company also is one of the suppliers of engines to the new Boeing jet.
Investors will also be watching for news from the board meeting of Walt Disney (DIS: Research, Estimates), which is holding a two-day meeting Monday and Tuesday, its most extensive discussions since shareholder unrest caused the board to strip CEO Michael Eisner of his chairman title.
The dollar was higher against the euro and little changed versus the yen.
Brent oil futures rallied 34 cents to $33.43 a barrel in London, where gold was slightly higher.
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