If there is anything more than 250,000 jobs then everything reverses and all bets about a pause at 3.25 percent are off.

260

The world assumes the Fed will raise the rates by a quarter percentage point, that's a non-event. It's what the statement lays out about the pace of future rate hikes that will be important, because that's what people are thinking about. I think the inflation reports will also be pivotal next week.

225

The projected job growth number would mark a pretty strong snapback from the previous month.

204

But the key here is really going to be guidance. Everyone is looking for signs of the rolling over of profit growth, although not as much as the Fed or higher energy prices might indicate.

187

This lends some comfort to the situation. In spite of slight economic weakness, the Fed sees no need to change its strategy. It's also not going to shut down the economy too quickly.

184

Generally, Wal-Mart can give real-time data faster than the government, because they can just pull this off their cash registers.

162

The bond market is still behind the inflation curve. The inflation story continues to chip away at our economy and it doesn't seem to be getting any weaker.

154

Any number Wal-Mart gives is tantamount to an economic indicator.

147

Right now, we have this positive confluence of earnings and economic news that has been propelling the market.

129