Morning Briefing: 10 Things You Should Know

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- U.S. stock futures were pointing to a higher start for Wall Street Friday ahead of the January jobs report.

European stocks were rising while Asian shares ended the trading session mixed. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.5% as the yen fell against the dollar.

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The economic calendar in the U.S. Friday includes the nonfarm payrolls report for January at 8:30 am. EST.

Payrolls are expected by economists to have risen by 160,000 last month after rising 155,000 in December, according to a Reuters survey. The unemployment rate is expected to have remained at 7.8% for a third straight month, Reuters said.

The University of Michigan final January consumer sentiment index is scheduled for release at 9:55 a.m.

The Commerce Department will release construction spending data for December at 10 a.m.

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U.S. stocks on Thursday posted losses as doubts about the strength of the U.S. economy weighed on the minds of investors.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 50 points, or 0.4%, to 13,861. Despite the decline Thursday, the Dow had its best January since 1994 by finishing 5.8% higher for the month.

The S&P 500 declined down 4 points, or 0.3%, to 1,498. The Nasdaq lost 0.18 of a point to finish at 3,142.

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Exxon Mobil (XOM), the world's biggest oil company, is expected by analysts Friday to report fourth-quarter earnings of $2 a share on revenue of $117.25 billion.

Wall Street analysts expect Chevron (CVX) to post fourth-quarter earnings of $3.04 a share on revenue of $68.64 billion.

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Dell (DELL), the PC maker, is close to an agreement to sell itself to a buyout group led by founder and CEO Michael Dell and private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

A deal could possibly be announced as soon as Monday, Reuters reported.

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Union leaders representing about 23,000 engineers at Boeing voted Thursday to put a strike authorization question on a ballot that will go to members next week, Reuters reported.

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Drugmaker Merck (MRK) is expected by analysts to post earnings of 81 cents a share in the fourth quarter on revenue of $11.48 billion.

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The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Thursday to stop Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch InBev's (BUD) proposed $20.1 billion purchase of Grupo Modelo, which owns Corona.

The government said the deal could lead to higher beer prices in the U.S. because it would substantially reduce competition.

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-- Written by Joseph Woelfel



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