Jobs numbers to come out in a half hour, update to follow. Daltons Briefs predicts 100,000 jobs created.

"Our economists forecast a rise of 100,000, with hurricane activity depressing the headline result. They forecast payrolls to rise by a firm 200,000 excluding hurricane effects," UBS said in a note.

A year ago, Wal-Mart commissioned an independent economic study to determine how the retailer fits in American society. As part of that process, nine separate academic papers were collected. The study is under embargo until tomorrow. But, according to early reports, not all of those views shed a kind light on Wal-Mart.

"After years of allowing spending to grow unchecked, I am gratified to see the Senate take a step in the right direction toward serious fiscal discipline," said GOP Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee (search).

New claims for U.S. unemployment benefits declined last week as the labor market toll from hurricanes Katrina and Rita continued to wane, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

The drilling proposal would allow oil companies such as Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil Corp. and London-based BP Plc to drill on 1.5 million acres in the 19 million-acre refuge, known as ANWR. Preliminary estimates suggest up to 10.4 billion barrels of oil might be recovered.

It is the opinion of Daltons Briefs that we should allow oil drilling to reduce the overall cost of oil worldwide, while encouraging use of other sources of energy.

We should stop the interest rate increases, inflation is obviously dampened and we don't need to hurt the economy. We're happy Greenspan is done and ready for the new Bush guy.

Jobs are increasing, unemployment is decreasing, the Senate is cutting the budget for the first time in Bush's presidency. Now, job one for 2006, a timetable for getting out of Iraq. We would propose a five year troop reduction and Iraqi stabilization plan.