Stocks Seen Flat After Profit Taking NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a flat open on Monday, as a flurry of merger and acquisition activity was dampened by some investors locking in profits after Friday's big rally. Dow futures dipped lower just after 7 a.m. EST when Boeing Co. (BA.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) said its board asked for and received the resignation of Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher. The Dow Jones industrial average came within shouting distance of the psychologically significant 11,000 level before settling at their highest close in more than three-and-a-half years. M&A moves were active over the weekend, with credit card issuer Capital One Financial Corp. (COF.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) saying on Sunday that it had agreed to buy Hibernia Corp. (HIB.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) in a cash and stock deal worth about $5.3 billion. In another deal, Europe's biggest defense company, BAE Systems (BA.L: Quote , Profile , Research ) , agreed to buy United Defense Industries (UDI.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) for $75 a share, or nearly $4 billion in cash. Cable operator Insight Communications Co. (ICCI.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) also said it had received an offer to be taken private by its controlling shareholders and private equity firm Carlyle Group. Shares of Sony Corp. (6758.T: Quote , Profile , Research ) traded higher overseas after the company named British-born head of its U.S. operations, Howard Stringer, as its new chairman and chief executive on Monday. S&P 500 futures (SPH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) rose 0.5 of a point, 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 average futures (DJH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) were down a point, while Nasdaq 100 (NDH5: Quote , Profile , Research ) rose 2 points. "Confidence in the market is strong, but anytime you're at these highs it tends to cool the jets," said Gary Thomson, senior trader at IG Index. "To be fair, profit taking is what is keeping the futures flat." On Friday, equity investors took heart from jobs data showing the economy was growing strongly but not so fast that it would need more aggressive interest rate rises from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Oil prices dipped 41 cents to $53.37. A surge in crude oil prices in the past few weeks has raised concerns that higher energy costs will slow economic growth by pinching corporate profits and curbing consumer spending. Consumer credit figures are due at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT), with some investors concerned that the data could weigh on stocks if it showed that consumers added to their debt. Economists expect consumers to have added $5.2 billion in credit in January. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (KKD.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) will be a focus of attention after the stock extended strong gains in after-hours trading on Friday, rising a further 9 percent to $8.18. Traders said there was market talk that legendary value investor Warren Buffett may take a stake in the struggling doughnut chain. Quelle "Stocks Seen Flat After Profit Taking" : reuters.com Main page for "Stocks Seen Flat After Profit Taking"