TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

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Fed Concerned over Removal of Stimulus in Housing Market



The fed released the minutes from its December meeting. Labor market weakness remained an important concern for Fed officials with officials saying they expect unemployment to remain high for “quite some time.”

Also, there seems to be some concern as to the strength of the housing recovery without government stimulus. The fed has bought over a trillion in mortgage backed securities to help keep rates down and the mortgage market moving. The plan is planned to end in March. However, the first time home buyers tax credit will also be ending in the first half of the year. Some committee members fear a relapse in the housing market.

Service Sector not as Strong as Manufacturing

The Institute for Supply Management said its services index rose to 50.1 in December, reaching above the 50 mark separating expansion from contraction for the third time in four months. The reading was above November’s 48.7 but below economists’ median forecast of 50.5.

Gearing Up for Friday’s Jobs Number

Analysts also found only mild encouragement in ADP Employment Services data showing the private sector lost 84,000 jobs in December. That was fewer than the 145,000 jobs lost in November, but did exceed the 73,000 expected by economists.

Friday, the U.S. Labor Department will release non-farm payrolls data for December. Economists forecast the U.S. lost 8,000 jobs overall last month, fewer than the 11,000 lost in November.

On the Corporate Front

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT), the massive defense contractor, plans to cut 1,200 positions as the company moves to integrate divisions. That is about 1 percent of the company’s worldwide work force of 140,000



http://www.investorslive.com/2010/01/06/stocks-end-little-changed-after-data/




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