U.S. stocks ended mixed Monday, as commodities-especially energy and metals-surged and Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a pessimistic outlook about the U.S. economy. In a televised interview, Bernanke said that it could be four or five years before the U.S. economy is back to a normal employment rate. He also said fears of inflation are overstated, and that the central bank could resort to another round of stimulus by making more Treasury purchases. Investors are also looking at talks about a deal involving former President George W. Bush-era tax cuts. The reported agreement would extend the tax cuts for all incomes for two years and would permit the unemployed to file for extended jobless benefits-a program that expired last week. In company news, Kellogg Chief Executive David Mackay announced that he plans to retire as president effective January 1. The company named chief operating officer John Bryant to succeed Mackay. --MORE
