The Market On Monday

  Good morning. It is 15 degrees and sunny here in Upstate NY. We are into a slight warming trend and by that I mean that the temperatures are not down below zero. Technically there are only 37 days left till the first day of spring. Hey we can do 37 days of hard time standing on our heads. With the sun getting higher and higher in the sky, an afternoon walk feels goods, the sun will keep you warm even in the cold. The daylight is creeping back and most afternoon return home commutes are in the light not the dark. I'm itchy for spring, the garden plans are being drawn up. It's a great richness to be able to go out to the garden and pick vegetables for the meal.

  At 8:00 a.m. ET futures are moderately lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open lower.

  Not a lot has changed, investors are looking over fourth quarter corporate reports and are sizing up the tapering down of quantitative easing. Given the miserable jobs report from last Friday one suspects investors are hoping the Fed will back away from the tapering rule. Let's see what new Fed Chair Janet Yellen does as she enters her new job in the midst of this poor jobs creation dilemma. Will she stick to the script or go into some off the cuff improv.

CNN: Stocks: Downbeat start to the week

Trading could be quiet Monday, with few major corporate or economic reports set for release.