Markets look mixed this morning as U.S. traders come back to work, hopefully bringing some volume with them.

As well, traders are anticipating a strong consumer confidence due to be released report later today.

Meanwhile, U.S. personal spending rose 0.5% in April, which was weaker than expected. Incomes were up 0.3%, suggesting a weaker recovery.

There’s more trouble in the controversial energy trading business today, with news that Dynegy Inc.’s CEO has quit amid investigations of the company’s trading and accounting. Rival Williams Cos. says that it plans to sell up to US$1.5 billion in stock and US$3 billion in assets to shore up its books.

In Europe, stocks are mixed. Telecoms are heading higher after Vodafone Group plc beat analyst sales’ forecasts. Also, Deutsche Telekom AG is cutting 30,000 jobs to slim its costs. European banks are weaker, though, after Barclays plc had to boost its loan loss provisions. This has the FTSE down 23 points to 5,114. The CAC 40 has gained 24 points to 4,384. And, the DAX is virtually unchanged, down just a point to 4,961.

Overnight in Asia, stocks were mixed there, too. The Nikkei dropped 40 points to 11,936. The Hang Seng added 17 points to 11,582.

In M&A news, Conoco Canada Resources is buying the 28% of Gulf Indonesia Resources it doesn’t already own for US$329 million in cash.

In earnings news, Synsorb Biotech recorded net income of $3.5 million for the first quarter of 2002, compared to a net loss of $4 million for the first quarter 2001. The income was experienced as a result of the gain on the sale of investment in Oncolytics, which closed in the first quarter.

AnorMED Inc. reported a net loss of $13,368,000 for the fiscal year ended March 31, compared to a net loss of $11,299,000 in fiscal 2001.

And, Stuart Energy Systems Corp. announced that it will take a one-time charge of $6 million in its fourth quarter financial results in connection with the retrofit of nine hydrogen systems covered under Stuart Energy’s warranty program.