• The big financial news of the week was the unexpected decrease in the national unemployment rate from 8.5% down to 8.3%.  New jobs were expected to come in about 150,000 but surprised at 243,000.  Markets finished upward for the week as a result. 
• The Congressional budget office said unemployment would reach 8.9% by the end of the year, and grow to 9.2% by the end of 2013.  They also said GDP would grow from 1.7% to 2.0% this year, but fall to 1.1% in 2013.
• As expected, Facebook filed initial IPO paperwork last Wednesday to formally bring their IPO out sometime in May.
• Europe watch:  No deal yet on Greece.  The Greek Prime Minister has already indicated that Greece may need more help, even after a new deal is reached. 

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This Week:

• After a really busy economic data week last week, we will get a bit of a breather this week.
• Politics:  Republicans have a primary in Missouri and caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado on Tuesday.  There’s another caucus in Maine on Saturday.
• Earnings season continues.  Companies reporting:  Cisco, Coca-Cola, Disney, PepsiCo, Philip Morris, Ralph Lauren, Time Warner, Toyota, Visa, and Whole Foods.
• Indicators this week:  December consumer credit (Tue); December wholesale inventories (Thu);   December international trade, preliminary February Michigan sentiment (Fri). 
• #3 ranked OhioState(20-3) remains the leader in the Big Ten.  The Buckeyes host Purdue on Tuesday and #7 MichiganStateon Saturday. Go Bucks! 

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Best,

Chris

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