Payrolls fall 36,000; jobless rate steady at 9.7%

Date: Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM

PAYROLLS FALL 36,000; JOBLESS RATE STEADY AT 9.7%
U.S. non-farm payrolls decline for the 25th time in the past 26 months, falling
by a shallower-than-forecast 36,000 in February to 129.5 million, according to
Labor Department estimates.

U.S. STOCK GAINS ACCELERATE, LED BY ENERGY
U.S. stocks rise Friday, with energy particularly strong, as the government's
report of fewer job losses in February than expected boosts sentiment.

TREASURYS DROP AFTER REPORT SHOWS FEWER JOBS LOST
Treasury prices fall on Friday, pushing short-term yields up by the most in
more than a month, after the Labor Department said the U.S. economy lost fewer
jobs than economists predicted.

OIL TOUCHES $82, FIRST TIME IN NEARLY TWO MONTHS
Crude-oil futures top $82 a barrel Friday for the first time in about seven
weeks, as a shallower drop in U.S. jobs buoyed hopes for higher energy demand.

Employers shed 36,000 jobs in February - better than expected. Unemployment rate held steady at 9.7%. Stock futures rally.

Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:33:33 -0500

Employers shed 36,000 jobs in February - better than expected.
Unemployment rate held steady at 9.7%. Stock futures rally.

Markets, Thursday, 03/4/2010

Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:39:17 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10444.14 up 47.38 | S & P : 1122.97 up 4.18 |
| NASDAQ: 2292.31 up 11.63 | Bond (10Y): 3.60%, 100.16
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Fear: 1 year later. Greed: 10 years gone.
The S&P 500 hit its bottom almost one year ago. Meanwhile, many tech
stocks are still trading significantly below their bubble prices from
2000.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance slide 29,000 to 4...

Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 08:59:12 -0800 (PST)

Initial claims for unemployment insurance slide 29,000 to 469,000 in
latest week, Labor Department says.

Markets, Wednesday, 03/3/2010

Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:52:06 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10396.76 down 9.22 | S & P : 1118.79 up 0.48 |
| NASDAQ: 2280.68 down 0.11 | Bond (10Y): 3.61%, 100.03
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks struggle ahead of jobs reports
Wall Street gives up gains as investors pull back ahead of Thursday's
weekly jobless claims report and Friday's monthly non-farm payrolls
report.

Nine of Fed's 12 regional banks see economy improving: Beige Book

Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:04:49 -0500

Nine of Fed's 12 regional banks see economy improving: Beige Book
03/03/2010 02:03:05 PM EDT

Services sectors show best growth in two years

Date: Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 12:01 PM

SERVICES SECTORS SHOW BEST GROWTH IN TWO YEARS
The services sectors of the U.S. economy grow at the fastest pace in two years
in February, according to a survey of companies released by the Institute for
Supply Management.

GREEKS BRACE FOR CHANGE AS DEBT CRISIS BITES
While sporadic strikes may indicate otherwise, public opinion polls show that
most Greeks support the government's efforts to pull the country out of its
current financial predicament. "We're not Argentina," says one.

GREECE UNVEILS NEW AUSTERITY MEASURES
The Greek government has decided to take additional austerity measures to make
sure it meets its deficit-cutting pledge this year, following intense pressure
from the European Union and financial markets, according to media reports on
Wednesday.

MERKEL HOLDS KEY AS GREECE ADDS TO AUSTERITY PLAN
Credit markets responded positively Wednesday to the Greek government's promise
to implement another round of painful budget cuts, but Angela Merkel appears
poised to play the role of ultimate judge as European leaders scramble to
contain a destabilizing euro-zone debt crisis.

HARD-HIT GREEK STOCKS MAY OFFER OPPORTUNITIES
As a debt crisis rattles confidence in Greece, few investors are rushing to put
money into local assets. For those who can stomach the risk, however,
interesting opportunities do exist.