NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Mixed financial results from Microsoft Corp. and a report that federal regulators are seeking a breakup of the company could put the software leader at center stage as Wall Street returns to work Monday.
Early indications suggest U.S. stocks will open lower Monday.
 The Nasdaq 100 futures fell 110 points to 3,425 early Monday, while S&P futures on the Globex trading system lost 12.20 to 1,435. Due to London markets being closed, there was no fair value set by traders there, so that benchmark was not available for comparisons.
 On Thursday, U.S. stock markets finished mixed to end a short trading week. The Nasdaq fell 62.53 points, or 1.7 percent, to close at 3,643.88, although that still left it up 9.6 percent on the week after record point gains Monday and Tuesday. But the Dow Jones industrial average gained 169.09 points, or 1.6 percent, to 10,844.05. The S&P 500 index, a broader blue chip measure, edged up 7.07 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,434.54.
Gaining stocks beat losers on the New York Stock Exchange, 1,651 to 1,228, while losers narrowly edged out gainers on the Nasdaq, 2,079 to 2,021.
In Asia Monday, Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index rose as investors who took money out of some issues leaving the index last week bought into the market. The index closed up 227.47 points, or 1.25 percent at 18,480.15.
Singapore's Straits Times index slipped 30.49 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,049.78. Hong Kong's markets were closed for the Easter holiday Monday, as were all major markets in Europe.
In the Treasury market, the 30-year bond was unchanged in trading early Monday compared with levels late Thursday, with the yield remaining at 5.83 percent.
In the currency market, the dollar weakened versus the euro and the yen in early trading Monday. The euro was worth 93.99 cents, compared with 93.81 cents in late trading Friday. Meanwhile, the dollar fell to 105.65 yen in early trading, compared with 105.84 yen in late trading Friday.
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In company news, Microsoft (MSFT: Research, Estimates) beat earnings estimates when it reported fiscal third-quarter results after the markets closed for the week last Thursday. It earned $2.4 billion, or 43 cents a diluted share, up from $1.92 billion, or 35 cents a share a year earlier, and ahead of the 41 cent a share forecast of analysts surveyed by First Call.
 But the company also warned it faces sluggish revenue growth because of slow sales of corporate PCs and a transition to new software products. That prompted its shares to fall 2-15/16 to 76 in Thursday after-hours trading, after a gain of 1/4 in regular trading.
In addition, there were reports published Monday that federal regulators are proposing a partial breakup of the company as a remedy in the federal antitrust case against the company.
All of this could be bad news for the company that is both a Dow component and a major influence on the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite. Earlier this month, Microsoft stock took a hit when a federal judge ruled that the company abused its monopoly power, and the fallout led to a selloff in the tech sector.
But Donald Selkin, the chief investment strategist for Joseph Gunnar, told CNNfn's Ahead of the Curve program early Monday that he doesn't think the latest Microsoft woes will necessarily hit the entire tech sector this time.
"Perhaps we'll get some selling of Microsoft on the opening today, and I would also expect people to go into other technology stocks with better earnings prospects," he said. He it is possible Microsoft could be worth more if it is broken up into different components than it is as a single company today.(192KB WAV) (192KB AIFF)
Microsoft stock tumbled to 70-5/8 in before-hours trading Monday, according to Instinet.
Three Dow components are due to report Monday, led by consumer products manufacturer Procter & Gamble Co. (PG: Research, Estimates)
The company warned on March 7 that it would see disappointing results in the quarter due partly to rising raw material costs such as oil and paper pulp. That drove forecasts for its fiscal third quarter down to 64 cents a share, compared with 72 cents a share it made in the period a year earlier.
Shares of P&G gained 2-7/8 to 68-15/16 in trading Thursday.
The other Dow components due to report results Monday are drug maker Merck & Co. (MRK: Research, Estimates) and financial services provider American Express Co. (AXP: Research, Estimates). First Call forecasts that Merck first-quarter earnings rose to 62 cents a diluted share from 54 cents a share a year earlier, while American Express first-quarter earnings are forecast to have risen to $1.42 a diluted share from $1.26 a share in the quarter.
Shares of American Express gained 3-5/8 to 143 in trading Thursday, while Merck shares rose 3/4 to 69-3/4.
Of the Dow components to report results for the most recent period, all but Philip Morris Co. (MO: Research, Estimates) have beaten estimates; Philip Morris merely met the forecasts.
Priceline.com Inc. (PCLN: Research, Estimates), the Web site that lets consumers name their own prices for a variety of products, posted a smaller than expected loss in the first quarter early Monday.
The company lost $7.3 million, or 4 cents a diluted share, excluding special items, compared to the forecast of a 6 cent a share loss in the period. The company lost $16.8 million, or 12 cents a diluted share, excluding special items a year earlier.
Shares of Priceline rose 2-13/16 to 67-7/8 in trading Thursday.
Troubled railroad CSX Corp. (CSX: Research, Estimates) is due to report first-quarter results Monday. Analysts forecast it made 15 cents a share in the quarter, down from 36 cents a share a year earlier. The company recently had the president of its rail unit resign after continued congestion problems and a harsh report from Federal regulators criticizing the safety of its tracks.
Shares of CSX fell 7/16 to 20-5/8 in trading Thursday.
Dow component Boeing Co. (BA: Research, Estimates) has a contract to lease 40 jets to discount carrier American Trans Air for $2.3 billion, according to a report in Monday's Wall Street Journal, marking an important gain in that growing market niche. The deal is expected to be announced within two weeks, according to the paper.
Shares of Boeing gained 2-13/16 to 40-1/16 in trading Thursday.
No major economic reports are due Monday. 
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