This past week's data point of significance for investors has to be March's job report, which indicated the U.S. economy created a better-than-expected 216,000 jobs, the U.S. Labor Department said.

Also, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 8.8% from 8.9%. A Bloomberg survey had expected the economy to create 200,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate to remain unchanged at 8.9%. Further, job creation totals for February and January were revised higher: February to 194,000 from the initially estimated 192,000 gain; January to 68,000 from 63,000.

Continue reading Ray of Light: March's Jobs Gain Is More Evidence of Healing Labor Market

Ray of Light: March's Jobs Gain Is More Evidence of Healing Labor Market originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some good news for everyone out there looking for a job: unemployment fell to a two-year low in March, down to 8.8%.

While an 8.8% percent unemployment rate is still nothing to celebrate, it is a clear indication that we are headed in the right direction. Companies hired new employees at the fastest two-month pace since before the recession began.

Continue reading Unemployment Rate Falls to Two-Year Low

Unemployment Rate Falls to Two-Year Low originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to the ADP Employer Services Report, the private sector added 201,000 new jobs in March, basically in-line with 203,000 new jobs that analysts had been expecting to see.

February's figures were revised downwards to 208,000 from a previously estimated 216,000 new jobs.

March's employment gains bring the four-month average of new jobs to 211,000, more than enough to keep the labor track on path. Analysts estimate that the economy needs to add 125,000 new jobs each month in order to keep up with population growth, so any jobs over that figure result in a lower unemployment figures.

Continue reading Labor Market Continues to Show Signs of Improvement

Labor Market Continues to Show Signs of Improvement originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This past week's data point of significance for investors has to be the revised, final, fourth quarter U.S. GDP report, which indicated the world's largest economy grew 3.1% in the quarter, as well as 2.9% for 2010.

In 2009, the U.S. economy contracted 2.6% during the Great Recession -- the worst downturn since the Great Depression -- and even though the final 3.1% fourth quarter stat was better than the 2.8% previously estimated fourth quarter growth rate, the growth pace still is not strong enough.

Continue reading Inadequate Q4 U.S. GDP Growth Points to Fed's Extension of QE2

Inadequate Q4 U.S. GDP Growth Points to Fed's Extension of QE2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This past week's data point of significance for investors has to be the February nonfarm payroll report by the U.S. Department of Labor, which indicated that the U.S. economy created 192,000 jobs last month -- roughly in-line with the consensus estimate.

The good news was complemented by the fact that January's job gain was revised up to 63,000 from 36,000 and December's to 152,000 from 121,000. January's low job tally was probably skewed lower by the winter blizzards and storms that hit the Northeast and Midwest; hence, it's safe to say that the economy is creating jobs. What it needs now is sustained demand to drive GDP growth, which will lead to stronger job growth.

Continue reading Ray of Light: U.S. Private Sector Hiring Increases

Ray of Light: U.S. Private Sector Hiring Increases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Boston Scientific (BSX) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Windstream (WIN) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Expeditors (EXPD) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• A123 Systems (AONE) to neutral from underperform and Chesapeake Midstream (CHKM) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• AvalonBay (AVB) to outperform from neutral and Post Properties (PPS) to neutral from underperform at Cowen.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AONE, AVB, BSX, LVS, MDRX, RRC, SAP, TIVO, WIN ...

Analyst Calls: AONE, AVB, BSX, LVS, MDRX, RRC, SAP, TIVO, WIN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In another sign that auto industry has bright day ahead of it, Ford Motor Company (F) announced today that it planned to hire an additional 7,000 employees over the next 2 years.

While this is definitely good news, the figures are still way down from where they were before the auto crisis ravished the industry. Ford currently has 42,000 compared to 103,000 just ten years ago.

Continue reading Ford Planning to Hire More Employees

Ford Planning to Hire More Employees originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The dismal jobs front got a bit more good news, following the release of a report showing the nation's employers last year cut the fewest number of workers in more than a decade. Further, the findings showed 2010 ended on a high note, with December recording the lowest number of monthly cuts since 2000.

The slowdown in cuts follows an uptick in activity in 2009 when downsizing reached a seven-year high, according to the 2010 year-end job-cut report, released Wednesday by job-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Last year, employers announced plans to eliminate 529,973 positions, the lowest number since 1997.

Continue reading Job Cuts in 2010 Tumble to Lowest Level in More Than a Decade

Job Cuts in 2010 Tumble to Lowest Level in More Than a Decade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Australia's economy added 54,600 jobs in October. What, you ask, does that have to do with U.S. investing?

Well, adjusting for Australia's population, November's job growth down under is the equivalent of a 728,000 monthly job gain in the United States -- in other words, a Roaring 90s-level monthly job growth performance.

Continue reading Australia's Job Boom Continues -- Is the U.S. Next?

Australia's Job Boom Continues -- Is the U.S. Next? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Jobs Report Falls Short, Pushing Stocks Lower

Jobs Report Falls Short, Pushing Stocks Lower originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a breakthrough on the jobs front, the U.S. added 93,000 private sector jobs from October to November, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report released today. The previous month's report was revised upward to 82,000 from 43,000.

November's gain was the largest private sector rise in three years. It is also the tenth month in which job growth has exceeded 47,000.

By sectors, gains were as follows:

Continue reading U.S. Adds 93,000 Private Sector Jobs in November

U.S. Adds 93,000 Private Sector Jobs in November originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Five years ago, we presented a strong case for investing in China; we felt so compelled by the opportunity that we expanded our research team and opened a regional research office in Hong Kong," says Jim Oberweis, Jr.

The money manager and editor of The Oberweis Report reviews his current outlook on China, as well as some of his favorite U.S.-listed small cap Chinese companies that are currently in our portfolio.

The advisor explains, "We just recently celebrated the five-year anniversary of our Oberweis China Opportunities Fund; since its inception, the fund returned an average annualized gain of 22.94%.

Continue reading Favorite Small Caps from China Opportunities Fund

Favorite Small Caps from China Opportunities Fund originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Automatic Data Processing's (ADP) September private sector employment report -- which came in at a worse-than-expected loss of 39,000 jobs -- is not a data point that investors should ignore. That said, investors need to retain a proper perspective regarding the metric.

Institutional investors, public policy makers, and economists monitor the ADP report primarily because it's the last, monthly, national job tally before the U.S. Department of Labor's monthly, non-farm, payroll report -- the nation's best and most comprehensive survey of labor market conditions, called the Employment Situation.

Continue reading ADP's Private Employment Report: Useful for Investors?

ADP's Private Employment Report: Useful for Investors? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Alcoa (AA), Marriott (MAR) and Yum! Brands (YUM) kick off the new earnings season this week. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for moderate year-over-year earnings and revenue growth in the third quarter from each of these dividend payers.

Note that Marriott and Yum! Brands have exceeded consensus estimates in recent quarters and have First Call consensus buy recommendations as well. They are also trading near their 52-week highs, while Alcoa shares are closer to the 52-week low despite a 22% rise in the past three months.

Continue reading Week in Preview: New Earnings Season, Employment Data and More

Week in Preview: New Earnings Season, Employment Data and More originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Fed's New York Factory Gauge Falls in September

Fed's New York Factory Gauge Falls in September originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The obvious question many investors will ask, amid a Dow that surged ahead 200 points or so on Thursday, is "Does this mark a turning point for the market?" or 'Is now a good time to start committing more money to stocks?'

Let's ignore technical indicators for the moment, as more than one bullish fundamental indicator during this long recession -- an economic statistic or otherwise -- has signaled a "false rise" or a "sucker's rally."

Continue reading For Dow Clues, Monitor U.S. Job Growth

For Dow Clues, Monitor U.S. Job Growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading ADP Reports a Drop in Private Sector Jobs, but Markets Continue to Rally

ADP Reports a Drop in Private Sector Jobs, but Markets Continue to Rally originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. Job Market: Are Rays of Light Starting to Appear?

U.S. Job Market: Are Rays of Light Starting to Appear? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Many were expecting good news out of the Labor Department when it released the nonfarm payroll report for July. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case -- and the morning has taken a decidedly bearish tone.

According to the Labor Department, 131,000 jobs were lost during the month. The drop was attributed to the fact that 143,000 Census-related jobs were cut. Analysts expected overall employment to absorb the number of temporary jobs cut and show a drop of 65,000. When revising payrolls for May and June the picture turned even bleaker. The Labor Department revised the reading for those two months lower by 97,000, meaning fewer jobs than originally thought were created.

Continue reading Payroll Data Sets Bearish Tone for the Trading Day

Payroll Data Sets Bearish Tone for the Trading Day originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to the ADP employment payroll report released Wednesday morning, private-sector employment in the United States increased by 42,000. This data is a precursor to Friday's nonfarm payroll report, which is expected to show a decline of 60,000. July's increase was the sixth straight increase.

With experts predicting a drop of 60,000 jobs, I have one major concern. According to the article, analysts are expecting an increase of 96,000 jobs in the private sector. But the private sector (while it did report an increase) reported far fewer than 96,000 added jobs.

Continue reading U.S. Private Sector Jobs Increase During July

U.S. Private Sector Jobs Increase During July originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.