U.S. stock futures were lower this morning, as investors anxiously awaited January's jobs report. Following Wall Street's worst day in more than nine months, and as overseas markets skidded on global economic recovery fear and debt issues at some European countries, investors fretted ahead of key U.S. employment data.

[Update: Stock futures recovered after the jobs data and now point to a higher start on Wall Street. The jobs data showed an unexpected decline in the unemployment rate to 9.7%, but payroll fell by 20,000.]

At 8:30 a.m., the Labor Department will report January figures on nonfarm payroll. Job losses during the Great Recession have been huge and they're about to get bigger. Economists expect the report to show 5,000-15,000 jobs created during the month. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 10%.

Insurance giant Aetna Inc. (AET) will be reporting its fourth quarter numbers tomorrow before the market opens.

Analysts are expecting to see the company show earnings of 42 cents per share. During the same period last year the company had earnings of 96 cents per share.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Aetna Inc. (AET) shares declined after the insurer issued a surprise earnings warning for 2010.
• Alcoa Inc. (AA) swung to a smaller-than-expected Q4 profit even as revenue declined, sending shares lower.
• Carter's Inc. (CRI) posted strong Q3 earnings that topped estimates and same-store sales growth.
• Chevron Corp. (CVX) shares declined slightly after the company issued a surprise earnings warning.
• Con-Way Inc. (CNW) was downgraded due in part to concerns about near-term earnings.

Today started out as a down day and it stayed that way. The market tried to recover mid-morning, but that failed. The financial sector was under pressure from guidance and from fears of more reprisals out of Washington D.C. that never seem to go away. The rest of the market pressure was on earnings and a pressure of earnings warnings hitting the stocks.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,626.81 -37.18 (-0.35%)
S&P 500 1,136.21 -10.77 (-0.94%)
Nasdaq 2,282.31 -30.10 (-1.30%)

Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

Back in August, I discussed my amazement at Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). The stock just didn't seem to be acting in a manner which reflected the fundamentals of the business it represents. Well, my bout of amazement continues, because shares of the retailer are up 9% as of this writing on the latest earnings report. One that didn't impress me.

For the third quarter, Abercrombie made, on a reported basis, 44 cents per diluted share compared to 72 cents per diluted share in the year-ago period. After adjustments, earnings came in at 30 cents per share. Okay, that profit drop is bad enough, but wait till I get to the really bad stuff. Which would be revenues. Total sales declined 15%, but same-store sales were even worse: they plunged off the proverbial cliff, falling 22%.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says the Senate is filled with more-savvy politicians, and the upside for beaten-down names is huge.

Nancy Pelosi has now said her piece. The most unpopular Speaker of the House in the history of Wall Street has gotten her precious health care legislation through the House after ramming through a stimulus package that had far too little infrastructure and far too much pay raise for municipal and state workers, the most powerful interest group in the country.

But this time the Senate sees through it, and the politicians -- despite Pelosi's insistence that Tuesday's election went her way -- know better. There are pages after pages after pages in this bill that look threatening. But here's the rub: This bill's public option, the one that is supposed to be a killer to everything health care, should affect no more than 6 million people over a 10-year period, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In order to get 60 votes in the Senate, even that may prove to be too powerful an option.

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) reported better-than-expected Q3 earnings and revenue, sending shares higher.
• Allergan Inc. (NYSE: AGN) reported better-than-expected Q3 numbers, sending shares higher.
• Bare Escentuals Inc. (NASDAQ: BARE) Q3 profit easily topped analysts' estimates, and shares surged.
• Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (NYSE: COG) received an upgrade following the release of its Q3 numbers.
• Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) reported strong Q1 results, sending shares higher.
• E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) reported a smaller-than-expected net loss for Q3.
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT) Q3 earnings topped estimates and revenue was up sequentially.

Even as the battle over health care reform rages on Capitol Hill, we are seeing a flurry of third quarter reports from insurers.

Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) reported Thursday that its third-quarter profit rose 18% from a year ago to $308.2 million, or $0.69 per share, topping Wall Street's expectations. Revenue came in at $8.72 billion, versus the consensus of $8.68 billion. Aetna also said share repurchases totaled 3.9 million at a cost of $114 million in the third quarter of 2009.

President Obama started an intense debate in recent months about national health care. People are concerned about how to pay for the high cost of health care in America and feel it is just too expensive. There has to be a better way!

I like oranges and I grew up in Wisconsin, but in January oranges do not grow very well in Wisconsin. I don't know why -- I am not a horticulturalist -- but maybe it's the lack of sunlight, hard frozen tundra, blowing snow or temperatures of 25 below zero. We could spend a long time pointlessly debating the actual reason.

Regardless of how you feel about a public health insurance option offered by the government, interest at the policy level seems to be waning recently. If Democrats drop the idea of a public option as a component of health care reform, health insurance companies could benefit.

The way I see it, if the government starts offering health insurance as a public provider then new supply will have entered the market. According to my college Econ 101 text book, that new supply would have shifted the supply and demand curves towards lower prices and maybe lower profits.

Today's weakness was due to two issues. First was a much needed pullback after a monster run-up in the markets. Second was a weak Asian market turnout that spilled over to the west on concerns that maybe the recent gains did not add up to as high as share prices had gone. The stronger NY Fed District manufacturing data was merely a footnote. The bears might claim a decisive victory because there were no major rallies, but keep in mind that this is a summer Monday with light trading desks.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 9,135.34 -186.06 (-2.00%)
S&P 500 979.72 -24.37 (-2.43%)
Nasdaq 1,930.84 -54.68 (-2.75%)

Top 10 Analyst Calls

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) said its profit fell due to higher expenses and warned the trend may continue.
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP) topped Q2 earnings expectations, which sent shares higher.
• ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) lower Q2 earnings topped expectations, but revenue was also down.
• DreamWorks Animation Inc. (NYSE: DWA) posted flat Q2 earnings as it waits for the next big DVD release.
• First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) posted a better-than-expected profit but guidance sent shares lower.
• Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) Q3 revenue missed estimates and it lowered its outlook.

Everything was looking up this morning, up until the reaction to companies and their earnings reports. The market felt directionless all day after losing its initial gains despite a new home sales data release that was well above expectations. Ben Bernanke defended his stance on avoiding the next depression. The SEC also issued new short sale abuse guidelines.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 9,108.59 +15.35 (0.17%)
S&P 500 982.19 +2.93 (0.30%)
Nasdaq 1,967.89 +1.93 (0.10%)

Top 10 Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

U.S. stock futures advanced Monday morning, ahead of yet another week full of corporate reports, with some heavyweights already reporting this morning. Investors will be looking to see if results continue to top projections on average. Meanwhile, investors will digest some of Bernanke's remarks as they await more housing data due out after the market opens.

[Update 9:00 a.m.: Futures turned direction following several disappointing earnings reports this morning.]

Markets have rallied the past two weeks alongside earnings season. This week, over 140 companies of the S&P 500 are due to report. This morning it is Aetna (NYSE: AET), Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), Honeywell International (NYSE: HON) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ). Analysts are raising U.S. profit estimates for the first time since credit markets froze two years ago, with the S&P 500 earnings estimates now at $74.55 a share next year, up from $72.54 in May, indicating a potential 26 percent increase in the S&P 500.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) lowered its 2009 earnings guidance, initially sending the share price lower.
• Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) reported a bigger-than-expected Q2 net loss as revenues sank.
• Collective Brands Inc. (NYSE: PSS) saw Q1 earnings and sales decline, but beat Wall Street estimates.
• Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) earnings prospects led Goldman Sachs analysts to increase its forecasts.
• Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) weak Q1 results topped estimates and it offered guidance that pleased investors.