Some corporate deals and a more optimistic view on the U.S. economy by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan could help give U.S. stocks a positive start to the week.
Stock futures were higher in early trading Monday, after reports that Greenspan played down the concerns he had previously voiced about the risk of a U.S. recession.
In a speech in Tokyo that he delivered via satellite, the former chairman is quoted as saying the world economy would provide a cushion to a possible slowdown here, as he downplayed the risk to the economy from problems in subprime mortgages.
Search engine leader Google (Charts) announced late Friday it had agreed to buy privately held DoubleClick, a top digital marketing services firm, for $3.1 billion in cash. Google also has agreed to sell advertising on all of the stations owned by Clear Channel Communications (Charts) beginning at the end of June, according to a report Monday in the New York Times.
Student loan lender Sallie Mae (Charts) agreed to be purchased for $25 billion by a group including private equity firms as well as JP Morgan Chase (Charts) and Bank of America (Charts), the company announced early Monday.
America's top companies: New Fortune 500 rankings
Among economic reports Monday is an 8:30 a.m. ET reading on retail sales. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast sales rose 0.4 percent in March, up from a modest 0.1 percent rise in February. Excluding autos, sales are expected to jump 0.7 percent, compared with a 0.1 decline the previous month.
Treasury prices were slightly lower in early trading, taking the yield on the 10-year note to 4.77 percent from 4.76 percent late Friday.
Oil prices moved higher in early trading, taking it above the $64 a barrel mark. U.S. light crude edged up 47 cents to $64.10 a barrel in electronic trading.
Stocks in Asia closed strongly higher with South Korea and Australia indexes hitting record highs. Stocks in Europe were higher in early trading. The dollar was lower against the euro but higher against the yen after China pledged to gradually increase the flexibility of its currency at the G7 meeting of the world's top finance ministers.
Dow component Citigroup (Charts) reported an unexpected rise in earnings excluding special charges, beating forecasts. Including charges, it saw a decline in net income. The company last week announced it was cutting 17,000 jobs and moving another 9,500 to lower-cost areas.
Retailer Wal-Mart Stores (Charts) displaced oil giant Exxon Mobil (Charts) for the top spot on the Fortune 500, the magazine announced Sunday night. For Wal-Mart, it reclaimed the position in the corporate rankings that it had held for the four previous years before soaring oil prices gave Exxon Mobil the top position a year ago.
play down
軽視｛けいし｝する、見くびる
調子｛ちょうし｝を落とす［さげる］、控えめに扱う、謙そんする
宣伝｛せんでん｝しない、もみ消す
recession
景気後退｛けいき こうたい｝、（一時的｛いちじてき｝）不景気｛ふけいき｝、不況｛ふきょう｝、後退｛こうたい｝、退去｛たいきょ｝、くぼみ
cushion
〔衝撃｛しょうげき｝を〕和らげる
downplay
～を軽視｛けいし｝する、控えめに言う、見くびる、重要視｛じゅうようし｝しない、ないがしろにする、小ばかにする
subprime borrower
信用度｛しんよう ど｝［クレジットのスコア］の低い借り手
mortgage
抵当（権）｛ていとう（けん）｝、担保｛たんぽ｝
貸付金｛かしつけきん｝、（抵当権付き）住宅ローン
equity
公平｛こうへい｝さ、公明正大｛こうめい せいだい｝、無私無欲｛むし むよく｝、公平｛こうへい｝、公正｛こうせい｝
Treasury
公庫｛こうこ｝、国庫｛こっこ｝、財務｛ざいむ｝
〈米〉財務省｛ざいむしょう｝
barrel
多量｛たりょう｝
バレル 容量の単位。米国では石油は42ガロン
edge up
～に接近する、～ににじり寄る、ジリジリと詰めよる［上昇｛じょうしょう｝する］
pledge to
～することを約束｛やくそく｝する［誓う］
displace
～と移しかえる、～を移動｛いどう｝させる、動かす、置き換える、取って代わる
～を強制退去｛きょうせい たいきょ｝させる、追放｛ついほう｝する
reclaimed
～を再要求｛さい ようきゅう｝する、再請求｛さい せいきゅう｝する、～の返還｛へんかん｝を要求｛ようきゅう｝する、～を取り戻す、回収｛かいしゅう｝する
～を改善｛かいぜん｝する、矯正｛きょうせい｝する、更正｛こうせい｝させる
～を埋め立てる、開墾｛かいこん｝する、開拓｛かいたく｝する
～を再生｛さいせい｝する、再生利用｛さいせい りよう｝する、再利用｛さい りよう｝する
soaring
空にそびえる［舞い上がる］、急上昇｛きゅうじょうしょう｝する、うなぎ昇りの、右肩上がりの
高邁｛こうまい｝な、遠大｛えんだい｝な