For Monday, U.S. Stocks are called lower on Greek worries; dollar higher; Treasurys higher; Nymex down at $96.66; Gold lower at $1,717.70.
Overnight action: China bans airlines from EU scheme; Foreclosure deal is closer; Strike looms as Greek leaders push for deal.
Watch for: U.S. Employment Trends Index; earnings from Anadarko, Coinstar, Hasbro, Humana and Yum Brands.
The Breakfast Briefing
The bulls are in cruise control.
A strong jobs report, coupled with continued signs of an improving U.S. economy, has the Dow Jones Industrial Average perched at levels last seen prior to Lehman's demise.
The blue-chip Dow finished Friday up 156.2 points, or 1.23%, to 12862.23, its second biggest gain of the year and highest closing level since May 2008. The Dow has climbed in seven of the last 10 weeks, rising nearly 15% throughout the streak.
The S&P 500 jumped 19.36 points, or 1.46%, to 1344.90, and notched its fifth straight weekly advance. The broad index has increased 6.94% this year, its best start to a year since 1987.
The Nasdaq Comp, which has benefited the most of late thanks to strength in the tech sector, rose 45.98 points, or 1.61%, to 2905.66, its highest close since December 2000. The measure is up 11.54% in 2012 and 19% over the last 10 weeks.
For the bulls, mounting evidence of a labor-market comeback is fueling positive sentiment surrounding the domestic economy. Manufacturing activity is improving, housing is showing signs of bottoming and consumer spending is picking up again.
These optimistic vibes have spilled into the stock market and put Europe's sovereign-debt crisis on the back burner, for now.
To be sure, there's plenty to worry about. Corporate-profit growth has slowed from 2011 -- if you strip Apple from the equation, earnings don't look so hot. The fourth-quarter earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 is running at 8.4%, or 5.3% if Apple's results are excluded, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Companies have been issuing more negative preannouncements as opposed to positive outlooks, which doesn't bode well for future quarters. Corporate profit margins also look like they peaked the middle of last year and will continue to be pressured throughout 2012.
And then there's Europe, which has been eerily quiet of late. Maybe too quiet, which could change today. U.S. stock futures are pointing lower, with the Dow off 50 points, S&P 500 down 6 points and Nasdaq Comp off 10 points, just shy of 6 a.m. Eastern Time.
The premarket tone is tracking the decline in European stocks as a deal has yet to be hammered out on a Greek bailout. After being told for weeks that a deal was imminent, these guys still haven't been able to come to an agreement.
The threat of all this unraveling is becoming more real by the day.
"With some key stumbling blocks still unresolved, there is a real risk that Greece will not get another bailout from the EU," analysts at Danske Bank said in a note, according to MarketWatch.








