DOW JONES

U.S. stocks were on track to end the week with modest gains as major indexes pulled back from session lows after falling more than 1 percent on Friday on talk that Standard & Poor's was ready to downgrade ratings on several euro-zone countries.

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Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.05 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.16 percent at 1039 GMT.

Gold prices struggled to hold recent gains Friday as a successful Italian bond auction buoyed optimism about the direction of the Eurozone's economy.

The S&P 500 closed at a five-month high for the third day on Thursday but had difficulty extending gains in the face of lackluster economic data and another European bond market test.

Strong bond auctions in Europe set up Wall Street stocks for a slightly higher open on Thursday, though weaker-than-expected U.S. data could cap gains.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday after well-received European sovereign debt auctions encouraged investors ahead of job market and retail sales data expected to show the U.S. economy is steadily recovering.

Gold prices, which already this week broke above a key resistance level, barreled on Thursday toward a one-month high.

Stocks pulled back from five-month highs in early trading on Wednesday, with pressure on the euro testing the view that U.S. equities were decoupling from the single currency.

Stock index futures dipped on Wednesday, a day after major indexes hit a five-month high, with pressure on the euro testing the recent view that the U.S. market was decoupling from Europe.

Strong demand from China and India as well as short covering Wednesday extended a gold price rally that has lifted the yellow metal six percent since the end of last month.

Shares of silver mining companies rose on Tuesday as the price of the metal jumped, outperforming the rest of the market.

Bank of America Merril Lynch's (NYSE:BAC) move to fire one-fifth of the managing directors in its Asia operations, while significant, is only the latest sign foreign banks are jumping ship on investment banking opportunities within that market.

Stock index futures pointed to a stronger open for equities on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.9-1.0 percent.

Gold prices rode a global stock market and commodities rally Tuesday break a two-day losing streak.

Bank of America-Merrill Lynch is cutting around a fifth of its managing directors across its Asia investment banking division, sources said Monday, in a bid to cut costs as the outlook sours in a once-booming region.

Alcoa Inc posted a fourth-quarter loss Monday due to a steep plunge in aluminum prices, but its revenue beat expectations and the company gave a positive outlook for global demand for the metal, especially in the aerospace and automotive markets.

Going on a short media blitz Monday afternoon, Wall Street power and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon sounded a highly optimistic note on the American economy, the housing market and even the chances of customers bilked by bankrupt broker-dealer MF Global getting their money back.

U.S. stocks ended slightly higher on Monday in a light-volume session, as investors stayed cautious ahead of corporate earnings and key auctions for European debt this week.

Stocks ended slightly higher on Monday in a light-volume session as investors stayed cautious ahead of corporate earnings and key auctions for European debt this week.

Silver for March delivery, the most actively traded contract on the Comex, was up 25 cents to $28.93 and spot silver was up 10 cents to $28.85.