So, the unemployment rate sank below 9% in February, but investors didn't seem to be impressed by that. The Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 all fell on Friday over concerns about how the ongoing unrest in the Middle East might affect energy prices, and thus the economic recovery.

Will this coming week's economic calendar offer anything likely to bring excitement to the markets? Here's what's on tap:

• Monday: Consumer credit numbers for January
• Tuesday: Weekly chain store sales, TIPP Economic Optimism Index

Things look to be pretty quiet on the economic calendar this week. Here are the highlights:

• Tuesday: Weekly chain-store sales
• Wednesday: Federal budget balance for January
• Thursday: Wholesale trade data in December
• Friday: Trade balance in December and the weekly inflation survey

However, three iconic companies -- Walt Disney (DIS), Coca-Cola (KO) and Hasbro (HAS) -- highlight this week's quarterly results. Here's a look at what analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are anticipating from these and others.

After a week full of mixed economic data taking its toll on the markets, things will settle down somewhat this coming week.

• Monday: Fed releases October data on consumer credit outstanding.
• Tuesday: TIPP Economic Optimism Index is due.
• Wednesday: Labor Dept. offers initial jobless claims numbers for last week, EIA's crude oil inventory last week, October wholesale trade numbers from the Census Bureau.
• Friday: Trade balance data for October, Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Import Price Index for November, preliminary Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index is due, and the Treasury Dept. releases the federal budget balance in November.

In August, the U.S. trade deficit showed an unexpected drop of 3.5%. This shrinks the deficit to a mere $30.7 billion – rather than the $33 billion economists expected. Oil prices surged, but the amount of shipments fell precipitously. The increase in exports suggests that the global economy is working its way out o the doghouse.

Exports of goods and services pushed 0.2% higher in August to $28.2 billion. This was the fourth consecutive month of increases. American farm products, cars and parts, industrial engines and telecommunications equipment sales all contributed to the small upward move.

The Federal Reserve is scheduled to release its next Beige Book report of economic conditions on Wednesday, offering perhaps the best glimpse yet whether the recession has bottomed in the United States. The Beige Book report in March suggested that, by most measures, the economy was continuing to deteriorate and that prospects for near-term improvement was poor. But the April report showed that the deterioration was beginning to slow in some regions. Also, the TIPP Economic Optimism Index is scheduled to be released Tuesday, and the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index comes out Friday. So by the end of the week, we could have a good gauge of the mood over the U.S. economy.

A new earnings reporting season kicks off this coming week with the quarterly report from Alcoa, the first Dow Jones industrial to report. But investors looking for early signs about the first quarter will be disappointed in what they see from the aluminum producer, assuming that analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are neither too optimistic or too pessimistic about those results.

One of the things that really helps the U.S. balance of trade is weapons sales. In a recession, perhaps they should be encouraged more.

According to Reuters, Iran's Gulf neighbor, the United Arab Emirates, has signed a deal worth $3.3 billion to buy missiles from U.S. firm Raytheon (NYSE: RTN).

The Census Bureau reports that the October balance of trade was a negative $57 billion. A lot of that could be made up by selling missiles, tanks, rifles, and war planes. The Department of Defense has to approve most of the sales, but perhaps it should be annexed to the Department of the Treasury, at least until the recession is over. Some of the countries where a lot of sales are prohibited, like North Korea, could be added to the "OK to export weapons" list?

In September, The New York Times reported that "From tanks, helicopters and fighter jets to missiles, remotely piloted aircraft and even warships, the Department of Defense has agreed so far this fiscal year to sell or transfer more than $32 billion in weapons and other military equipment to foreign governments, compared with $12 billion in 2005." Up that number to $100 billion and think of the jobs it would create.

Weapons sales are not on the new Obama list of plans to create 2.5 million jobs by spending $800 billion. And, selling weapons does not cost the government at dime.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) kicks off the new earnings seasons when it reports third quarter results on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh-based aluminum producer, which celebrated its 120th anniversary with the launch of its website, is expected to post a profit of 54 cents per share, down 15.6% from the same quarter of last year, on revenue of $7.2 billion, down 2.1%. While Alcoa has tended to fall short of estimates in recent quarters, in the second quarter it did offer a positive surprise of almost 3%. Its long-term earnings per share growth forecast is 14.8%, a little less than the S&P 500, and analysts polled by Thomson Financial on average recommend buying Alcoa, and have for more than 90 days. Shares reached a new 52-week low last week, and are down 48.9% from a year ago.

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is also expected to report a slip in earnings this week. Analysts anticipate that the conglomerate will post a third-quarter profit of 45 cents per share, down just 6.3% from a year ago, on revenue of $47.7 billion, which is up 12.1%. GE has tended to eke out small positive surprises in recent quarters, by less than 1% in the second quarter. GE's long-term earnings per share growth forecast is only 11.0%, which is less than the sector average and the S&P 500. The consensus recommendation has recently swung to hold GE, but Warren Buffett has bought in to the tune of $3 billion. GE also reached a new 52-week low last week as the markets tumbled. GE shares are down 48.1% from a year ago.