U.S. markets anticipate another month of job losses; potential NBC-Vivendi deal also eyed.
The September employment report will dominate Friday's U.S. stock market session, capping a week that has been bullish so far, with economists expecting another decline in payrolls.
Investors will also have their eyes on Dow component General Electric, whose NBC unit is said to be close to an agreement on a $40 billion merger with Vivendi Universal's U.S. entertainment arm.
At 5:30 a.m. ET, futures were flat to lower in anticipation of the 8:30 a.m. ET release of the employment report.
Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast a drop in payrolls of 25,000 and an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent. In August, payrolls were down by 93,000 and the jobless rate was 6.1 percent. The recent spate of weak employment reports have been seen by many economists as the sign of a jobless recovery, but there are a few economists who feel as though the job losses are being exaggerated by the way the reports are being presented.
At 10 a.m. ET, the Institute for Supply Management releases its September report on the services sector. The index is seen dipping to 63 from 65.1 in August, but that would still be well above the 50 point that signals sector expansion.
GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt said Friday that he expects to complete a deal that would combine NBC with such Vivendi (V: Research, Estimates) properties as Universal's movie and TV production. While some sources say the deal could be announced Friday, others say the formal statement could wait until next week.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, GE (GE: Research, Estimates) was slightly higher. Vivendi shares in Paris also edged upward.
The Dow Jones industrial average is coming off a 0.2 percent gain Thursday and is still positive by nearly 175 points for the week. With its 0.2 percent advance Thursday, the Nasdaq composite index is more than 44 points higher going into the week's final trading day (see chart for details).
Asian-Pacific stocks ended mostly higher, with Tokyo's Nikkei index up 1.2 percent. European markets rose in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
Treasury prices fell, sending the 10-year note yield up to 4.04 percent from 3.99 percent late Thursday. The dollar weakened against the yen and euro, testing recent lows against both currencies.
Brent oil futures gained 3 cents to $27.84 a barrel in London, where gold edged higher.
The September employment report will dominate Friday's U.S. stock market session, capping a week that has been bullish so far, with economists expecting another decline in payrolls.
Investors will also have their eyes on Dow component General Electric, whose NBC unit is said to be close to an agreement on a $40 billion merger with Vivendi Universal's U.S. entertainment arm.
At 5:30 a.m. ET, futures were flat to lower in anticipation of the 8:30 a.m. ET release of the employment report.
Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast a drop in payrolls of 25,000 and an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent. In August, payrolls were down by 93,000 and the jobless rate was 6.1 percent. The recent spate of weak employment reports have been seen by many economists as the sign of a jobless recovery, but there are a few economists who feel as though the job losses are being exaggerated by the way the reports are being presented.
At 10 a.m. ET, the Institute for Supply Management releases its September report on the services sector. The index is seen dipping to 63 from 65.1 in August, but that would still be well above the 50 point that signals sector expansion.
GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt said Friday that he expects to complete a deal that would combine NBC with such Vivendi (V: Research, Estimates) properties as Universal's movie and TV production. While some sources say the deal could be announced Friday, others say the formal statement could wait until next week.
Among U.S. stocks trading in Europe, GE (GE: Research, Estimates) was slightly higher. Vivendi shares in Paris also edged upward.
The Dow Jones industrial average is coming off a 0.2 percent gain Thursday and is still positive by nearly 175 points for the week. With its 0.2 percent advance Thursday, the Nasdaq composite index is more than 44 points higher going into the week's final trading day (see chart for details).
Asian-Pacific stocks ended mostly higher, with Tokyo's Nikkei index up 1.2 percent. European markets rose in early trading. (Check the latest on world markets)
Treasury prices fell, sending the 10-year note yield up to 4.04 percent from 3.99 percent late Thursday. The dollar weakened against the yen and euro, testing recent lows against both currencies.
Brent oil futures gained 3 cents to $27.84 a barrel in London, where gold edged higher.
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