On Tap Today: Greenspan Speaks; Comverse, Kroger, Heinz Earnings

When Alan Greenspan speaks, Wall Street listens: This morning, the

Federal Reserve chairman addresses

America's Community Bankers

on banking and the economy.

Also today, earnings data rolls out from companies including

Comverse Technology

(CMVT)

,

H.J. Heinz

(HNZ)

, and

Kroger

(KR) - Get Report

.

Expected Earnings Reports

This table includes S&P 500 companies only. Dates are those expected by First Call/Thomson Financial and may change.

Economic Data

(

Forecasts are from

Reuters

. Times are Eastern. For a longer-term economic calendar and more, see

TSC's

Economic Databank.

)

9 a.m.: BTM-UBSW Weekly Chain Store Sales Index for the week ended Saturday. Source: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and UBS Warburg. Forecast: n.a. Previous: +1.1%.
10 a.m.: Factory Orders for October. Source: Census Bureau. Forecast: +0.3% (preliminary). Previous: +1.6%.
10 a.m.: Purchasing Managers' Non-Manufacturing Index for November. Source: National Association of Purchasing Management. Forecast: n.a. Previous: 58.
10:30 a.m.: Redbook Retail Average for the month through Saturday, vs. November. Source: LJR Redbook. Forecast: n.a. Previous: +0.2%.

IPO Quiet Periods Expiring

(TheStreet.com's

Ben Holmes, who heads

TSC's

ipoPros.com subsidiary, keeps a close eye on lockup expirations every week. For more on quiet periods and why they matter, check out Holmes' primer on the subject. The full current quiet period list is published separately. For information on IPO pricings, filings and aftermarket activity, plus a calendar of upcoming IPOs, check out

TheStreet.com's

IPO data section.

)

Speeches & Testimony

Federal Reserve chairman

Alan Greenspan

addresses

America's Community Bankers

on banking and the economy.