US Stock Futures Signal Flat Open As Investors Maintain Caution

The U.S. stock index futures point to a flat open Monday as investor activities are expected to remain quiet amid the holidays in Asia.

The futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.03 percent, the futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index were up 0.02 percent and those on the Nasdaq 100 Index were up 0.05 percent.

Markets in Japan were closed for the National Foundation Day holiday. Markets in China, Hong Kong and South Korea were closed for Lunar New Year day holiday.

Investors will continue to focus on earnings reports with Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN), Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE:KORS), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ:GT), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET) expected to announce their quarterly results this week.

On Friday, the U.S. stocks rose as investor sentiment turned positive amid an encouraging economic indicator indicating that the growth of the world’s largest economy is reviving. According to the data released Friday by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the trade deficit, which measures the difference in value between the imported and exported goods and services over the reported period, fell to $38.5 billion in December from $48.6 billion in November.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.35 percent, the S&P 500 Index was up 0.57 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.91 percent.

European markets fell Monday with London's FTSE 100 moving down 4.79 points, Germany's DAX 30 index dropping 19.52 points and France's CAC 40 declining 0.64 points.