US stocks open flat ahead of Bernanke talk US stocks have opened flat after four straight gains, as markets await a speech by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke with hopes of more clarity on the Fed's plans to rein in its stimulus program this year. Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 21.95 points (0.14 per cent) at 15,322.29. The broad-based S&P 500 slipped 0.11 (0.01 per cent) to 1,652.21, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.99 (0.03 per cent) to 3,505.25.