U.S. stock index futures were flat Thursday as investors digested a handful of weaker-than-expected economic data against upbeat earnings report from Cisco.
European shares rose on Thursday, resuming the two-week rally that has propelled indexes to multi-year highs.
U.S. stock index futures were higher across the board Friday after stocks logged their sharpest two-day drop this year and following comments from St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard that the central bank's aggressive easy money policy will stay for a "long time."
U.S. stock index futures pared their gains Thursday following policy announcements from both the Bank of England and the European Central Bank and as investors digested a pair of mixed economic reports.
Ben Verwaayen, CEO of Alcatel Lucent, tells CNBC that he is stepping down as CEO as the company has been stabilized and the next three years are all about execution.
European shares closed higher Thursday, with the market taking direction from an opening rise on Wall Street where the S&P 500 hit the 1,500 mark for the first time since December 2007.
Alcatel-Lucent CEO Ben Verwaayen says regulation is holding back innovation in the European telecommunication industry, while the U.S. is advancing rapidly.
European shares stuttered on Thursday as indexes approached overbought levels and budget talks in the United States stalled.
European shares closed slightly lower on Friday as investors locked in profits ahead of the weekend and once again focused on the ongoing discussions surrounding the "fiscal cliff" in the U.S.