|
 * The Labor Department's report, due at 8:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT), is
expected to show U.S. employers added 203,000 jobs last month, a
brisk enough pace to show the U.S. economy's resilience. This is the
last major data before the Fed meets later this month.
* Global markets rose in anticipation of a strong report, as
investors look to get past the worst quarter since 2011 and concerns
about slowing global economic growth.
* The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed slightly higher on Thursday in a
choppy start to the fourth quarter as investors waited for the jobs
report and the quarterly earnings season.
* Financial markets have been roiled by worries about a global
economic slowdown, particularly in China. The Institute for Supply
Management said on Thursday its index of U.S. factory activity fell
to its lowest since May 2013. Factory activity in China also fell,
but less than expected.
* The Fed's decision not to raise rates from near zero in September,
as it waits for signs of strengthening inflation, added to the
uncertainty. The Fed last raised rates in June 2006.
* A small hike in rates could help calm volatile equity markets and
start giving the Fed some ammunition to deal with any future
economic slowdowns.
* San Francisco Fed President John Williams said the Fed will
eventually need to move even though it will never be completely
certain about the economic outlook.
* Williams, a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee,
believes the Fed will need to raise rates at either its October or
the December meeting.
* Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer is scheduled to speak in Boston at
1:30 p.m. and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will speak in Washington
at 8:15 a.m.
[to top of second column] |
* Crude oil prices rose on Friday due to fears of escalating
violence in Syria and ahead of the job report. [O/R]
* Pfizer's shares rose 1.73 percent to $32.39 after Morgan Stanley
upgraded the stock to "overweight", saying the company's revenue
growth would turn positive in 2016.
* Micron was up 6 percent at $15.65 premarket after the chipmaker
posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings.
Futures snapshot at 6:25 a.m. ET:
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 7.25 points, or 0.38 percent, with 117,745
contracts traded.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 22 points, or 0.53 percent, on volume
of 23,417 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 63 points, or 0.39 percent, with 25,763
contracts changing hands.
(Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio
D'Souza)
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