Janet Yellen (Photo : REUTERS/Jim Bourg )
The Wall Street is delaying the start of weekend to listen to Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen's Friday speech.
Yellen will speak on "The New Normal for Monetary Policy". Her speech will begin at 3:45 PM Eastern Time.
Meanwhile, the US Stocks began in the red for a fifth straight day on Friday, Mar. 27. The market seems to be taking time to find the beamish status, tapped by Feds interest rate hike plans.
The chairwoman had earlier informed that the Feds is in no hurry to hike the rates and would apply the interest-rate-increase slowly over a longer period of time.
Notably, the third estimate for GDP growth in the US, in fourth quarter, was constant at 2.2 percent. Many analysts predicted that the rate may go up to 2.4 percent though.
The University of Michigan's consumer-sentiment index for March will come out today as well. Expectations are high as it may go up to 92.5 from 91.2, according to MarketWatch.
The sentiment index is expected to rise due to easing gas prices and market volatility.
Friday's earning report will focus on Blackberry, which gained four cents per share, instead of four cents expected loss in its latest quarter.
Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. surged 10 percent pre-market as the firm received permission from European regulators for its Mysimba drug. Finish Line Inc. also jumped 4.9 percent.
Other major news include Dow chemical's spinoff of the chlorine derivatives; and Apple top honcho Tim Cook planning to donate his wealth to charity, according to CNBC.
In other markets, crude-oil futures shrunk about 2% after five-day gaining streak on Thursday. Metal-prices nosedived, and the ICE dollar index went up 0.1% to 97.58.
Meanwhile, Europe and Asian share markets showed mixed results.
