The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 25 degrees and at the moment, sunny, here in Upstate NY. The logos indicate we're on a warming trend through Monday with Sunday now predicted to go into the mid 50s. That will seems like a heat wave considering two days ago it was -4 degrees. Regardless, it's good to see the old Sun and not have that solid gray day. Get out and let some of that light hit your eyes, we lack vitamin D in these parts and most people need to take a D3 supplement.

  At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is slightly higher. The market is poised to open in the mixed flat area.

  The taper QE news was not the big scary thing some had feared. Just the opposite as the indexes went very high yesterday on the Fed news. As the taper is slight, why the worry? I just checked weekly first time layoffs at 379,000 and that is a messy number, not the best at all. Well we have entered a new phase in the market, less QE and more reliance on the soundness of the recovering economy. Don't forget, do not confuse Wall Street with Main Street.

CNN: Stocks draw breath after taper gains

The Fed's decision to wind down -- or taper -- its stimulus program can be interpreted as a sign the economy is getting back on its feet and no longer needs as much assistance from the central bank.