Stocks are indicated modestly higher on a very slow news day Monday. About thirty minutes before the opening bell, stock index futures indicate that both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ might open with slim gains.

The earnings calendar is light and no economic data is scheduled until a report on wholesale inventories Wednesday.

The euro saw modest gains, up .0035 to 1.3664, after French President Sarkozy pledged to help Greece if needed. Meanwhile, Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeble talked up the possibility of a European Monetary Fund.

However, stock benchmarks are mixed across Europe, with France’s CAC 40, Germany’s DAX, and UK’s FTSE all seeing modest losses midday Monday. Japan’s Nikkei rallied 2.1 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng 2 percent after better-than-expected jobs data sparked a rally in the US Friday.

Crude oil edged up 29 cents to $81.79 a barrel and gold is flat at $1135 an ounce.

Bonds are still under pressure, on the weight of the better jobs data and diminishing concerns over Greece. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is down 10/32nds and yields 3.72 percent.

Among the stocks to watch, the insurance sector is in focus after AIG hammered out a $15.5 billion deal to sell its second largest life-insurance unit to MetLife (MET). McDonald’s (MCD) might help the Dow early after reporting a 1.1 percent increase in February same store sales. Applied Materials (AMAT) gained 2.2 percent after increasing its dividend and announcing a share buyback. AK Steel (AKS) slipped 1 percent after Goldman downgraded the stock to Neutral. TIVO might see action today ahead of earnings, due out after the closing bell.