Morning Briefing: 10 Things You Should Know

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here are 10 things you should know for Friday, Feb. 8:

1. -- U.S. stock futures were rising Friday, getting an early boost from better-than-expected trade data from China.

European stocks were higher. Asian shares ended Friday's session mostly higher, but Japan's Nikkei 225 index bucked the trend falling 1.8%.

Exports in China rose 25% in January from a year earlier, while imports jumped 28%.

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2. -- The economic calendar in the U.S. Friday includes trade balance data for December at 8:30 a.m. EST, and wholesale inventories at 10 a.m.

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3. -- U.S. stocks on Thursday closed lower after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi warned of risks to the eurozone economy. In addition, U.S. economic data came in weaker than expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 42 points, or 0.3%, to 13,944.

The S&P 500 lost 3 points, or 0.2%, to 1,509. The Nasdaq shed 3 points, or 0.1%, to 3,165.

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4. -- Boeing (BA) received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration for restricted test flights of its grounded 787 Dreamliner as it tries to fix battery problems.

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5. -- LinkedIn (LNKD), the social network geared for professionals, beat Wall Street's earnings expectations.

LinkedIn reported fourth-quarter earnings Thursday of 35 cents a share on revenue of $303.6 million, up 81% from a year earlier.

LinkedIn issued first-quarter guidance above Wall Street estimates.

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6. -- Coinstar (CSTR), which owns the Redbox DVD kiosks, said fourth-quarter profit declined 27% due to poor performance at its new ventures.

Coinstar also forecast disappointing earnings on Thursday, saying it expects earn 77 cents to 92 cents a share from continuing operations in the first quarter on revenue of $568 million to $593 million. Analysts forecast earnings of $1.22 a share on revenue of $628.8 million.

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7. -- Dell's (DELL) largest independent shareholder, Southeastern Asset Management Inc, has told the No. 3 computer maker that a $24.4 billion buyout bid undervalues Dell , two sources close to the situation told Reuters.

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8. -- AOL (AOL) is expected by Wall Street Friday to report fourth-quarter earnings of 41 cents a share on revenue of $573.7 million.

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9. -- Other earnings expected Friday include Carlisle (CSL), CBOE Holdings (CBOE), Moody's (MCO) and Laboratory Corporation of America (LH).

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10. -- A winter storm is forecast to drop as much as 2 feet of snow across some parts of New England on Friday and Saturday.

Boston is expected to get more than a foot of snow; some forecasts are calling for more than double that.

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-- Written by Joseph Woelfel



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