UNEMPLOYMENT

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.8-0.9 percent.

Asian shares and the euro steadied on Monday on hopes European leaders would agree on a definitive plan to solve the euro zone's debt crisis at a crucial summit this week, with sentiment also getting a lift from Italy unveiling austerity steps.

Japan's Nikkei stock average edged higher Monday to build on last week's hefty gains on improved sentiment about the European debt situation, but uncertainty about how markets will assess Italy's new austerity plan capped the upside.

The catalyst for strong equities has been centered on the developments in Europe

U.S. President Barack Obama sought on Saturday to boost pressure on Republican lawmakers to back an extension of a tax cut for workers that he views as vital to help the fragile economy.

The government is fooling the country about the benefits of foreign supermarkets, opposition leader LK Advani said.

The nation’s unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in November as the economy added 120,000 jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

As macroeconomic developments helped boost stock prices on the one hand, comments from central bankers, politicians and others, on the other hand, dampened the party in the equities market.

Stocks ended flat on Friday but capped the best week for Wall Street bulls in almost three years after data showed the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to a 2-1/2 year low.

The Canadian dollar ended weaker against the U.S. currency on Friday, following the euro lower, as worries about Europe's debt crisis and disappointing domestic employment data ended a four-day winning streak.

Bank stocks finished up one of the best-performing weeks of the year Friday, as a global coordinated stimulus by the world's top central bankers announced Wednesday injected some badly needed liquidity into the credit markets and signaled a willingness for future intervention if the going gets tougher.

Toronto's main stock index was higher on Friday morning, on track to post its biggest weekly gain in more than two years, pushed up by strong bank earnings, encouraging U.S. jobs data and talk of more action to ease Europe's debt.

I was cautiously optimistic to see the unemployment figures dropping to 8.6 percent, concerned that only 7 percent of those who lost and regained jobs during the financial mess are maintaining their previous financial position and despair at the impact decaying infrastructure, like the New York City L Train, has on small businesses and our chances of economic recovery.

Congress' ongoing battle over a proposed extension of the payroll-tax cut hit its first legislative wall on Thursday night, as two measures to keep the rate at least at 4.2 percent failed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Canada's economy unexpectedly lost jobs for a second straight month in November, raising concern that weakness in other countries may do lasting harm to an economy that has so far been surprisingly robust.

Stocks rose on Friday, on course for their best week in almost three years, after the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to a 2-1/2 year low, but resistance close to a key technical level limited gains as traders booked profits before the weekend.

Forbes released a list of the top ten worst cities for finding a job in America this week. Based off aggregated data from Indeed.com, Forbes found that Miami, Los Angeles, Riverside, Calif. and Las Vegas topped the list as the worst metro areas for job seekers.

Thanks to a positive unemployment report released Friday, which said America's unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent, or its lowest level since March 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama's chances of getting re-elected have increased.

When combined with upward revisions to the September (210,000) and October (100,000) job totals, November’s 120,000 job gain, and recent, strong manufacturing and auto sales data, the fundamentals show a U.S. economy that is strengthening. But will Europe's credit markets sap the economy's momentum?

Unemployment is down, but so is the financial position of job-finders. The New York City L train is shut too many weekends for piecemeal repairs, while desperately needed infrastructure needs go unmet. It's hurting small Williamsburg shops--and speaks to the proper role of government.

Unemployment is down, but so is the financial position of job-finders. The New York City L train is shut too many weekends for piecemeal repairs, while desperately needed infrastructure needs go unmet. It's hurting small Williamsburg shops--and speaks to the proper role of government.