Stocks Seen Flat as Oil Price Hovers NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a flat open on Monday, as the market clings to 2005 highs with merger activity gathering pace. But oil prices hovering near $52 a barrel has investors concerned about inflation and an economic slowdown. Shares May Department Stores Co. (MAY.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) may gain ground after agreeing to be acquired by rival Federated Department Stores Inc. (FD.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) , a deal that would combine such famous store brands such as Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Marshall Field's. Mylan Laboratories Inc. (MYL.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) and King Pharmaceuticals Inc. (KG.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) , meanwhile, called off plans for Mylan to buy King for $3.8 billion, a combination that had been opposed by one of Mylan's biggest investors, Carl Icahn. Mylan, one of the world's biggest makers of generic drugs, had been eager to buy King's hypertension drug Altace and its sales force, which it hoped to use to tout a new hypertension drug of its own. S&P 500 futures (SPH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) were down 0.7 of a point, about even with fair value accounting for interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract, indicating the S&P would open flat. Dow Jones industrial index futures (DJH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) were down 4 points, while Nasdaq 100 (NDH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) futures climbed a point higher. "Some inflationary concerns just won't go away. You have oil at $52 and a lot of investors are unsure of where these prices will go," said Will Armitage, senior trader at IG Index. "Decent M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity should help offset some of those concerns this morning." Armitage also said that traders will be watching closely to see if the Dow can break through the 10,845 point level, a level the index has had a hard time surpassing. Oil prices climbed for a sixth day on Monday, hitting fresh four-month highs above $52 as forecasts of more U.S. cold weather threatened to draw on already low stocks of heating fuels. U.S. light crude (CLc1: Quote , Profile , Research ) was up 43 cents to $51.92 a barrel, just below last October's record $55.67. Prices so far this year are running $6 above the average for 2004 of 41.48. Rising oil prices raises concerns that higher energy costs will pinch corporate profits and curb consumer spending. Shares of Yellow Roadway Corp. (YELL.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) may be active after it said it would buy USF Corp. (USFC.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) for $1.37 billion in cash and stock, accelerating its push into the next-day regional market, one of the trucking industry's fastest growing areas.     Continued ... Quelle "Stocks Seen Flat as Oil Price Hovers" : reuters.com Main page for "Stocks Seen Flat as Oil Price Hovers"