U.S. stock market nerves frayed before jobs report

Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009

U.S. stock market nerves frayed before jobs report

The U.S. stock market's reaction to Thursday's economic reports cast an
unfavorable light on the much-anticipated August jobs report, with an
index on the services sector offering an especially weak climb in its
employment
component.

GOLD TOPS $980 AN OUNCE AS DOLLAR FALLS

Gold futures climb above $980 an ounce, extending the prior session's
advance, as the dollar weakens against the euro and sterling.

OIL RISES ON FUEL DEMAND; NATURAL GAS FALLS

Crude-oil futures recover toward the $69-a-barrel mark as traders
react to the highest U.S. gasoline demand in three months and as the
dollar gives ground.

U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS DOWN 4,000 TO 570,000

The number of people filing for state unemployment benefits for the first time
falls by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 570,000 in the latest week,
the Labor Department says.

ORACLE-SUN DEAL FACES PROBE BY EU REGULATORS

European antitrust regulators on Thursday launch an in-depth probe
into U.S. software company Oracle's $5.6 billion acquisition of rival
Sun Microsystems.