Morning Market Report 1/8/2015

The KUIK Morning Market Report for Thursday, January 8:
Markets are up.
Index Direction Change Units Time Change
Dow Up                    237 points           17,821 7:08 AM
S&P500 Up 1.3% percent            2,052            26.09
Nasdaq Composite Up 1.3% percent            4,711            60.36
30 Year Treasury Up                       5 Basis Points              2.57 Annual Yield
The Labor Department reports initial claims for unemployment benefits fell  4,000 to 294,000 in the week ended January 3. A year ago, claims were 13% higher at 333,000. However the report was weaker than expected, economists expected a drop to 290,000. Continuing claims rose by 101,000 to a seasonally adjusted 2.45 million in the week ended December 27.
European stocks ended up today, extending gains into a second consecutive session on the prospect of further stimulus measures from the European Central Bank. The Stoxx Europe 600  jumped 1.8% to 339.21 with all sectors moving higher. Stocks held to gains after the European Union’s statistics agency said retail sales volume rose 0.6% in the euro area in November compared with October. Analysts had expected a rise to only 0.3%
Gold also is seeing a slight benefit from that jobs report. February gold is up less than 0.1%, to $1,211.50 an ounce on the Comex Division of the New York Merc.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for 1360 KUIK.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jobless-claims-stay-below-300000-in-sign-of-healthier-labor-market-2015-01-08
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-stocks-climb-fueled-by-qe-expectations-2015-01-08?dist=markets
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-dips-as-us-stock-futures-rally-2015-01-08
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