The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 39 degrees and overcast here in Upstate NY. The forecast predicts rain and a temperature around 50 later today. That combination will take care of much of the remaining snow piled at the end of parking lots. It's still pretty brown out there, we are anxiously awaiting the bloom of our good friend the crocus. I see Letterman is going to retire. What a run he has had.

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

  The government is saying that the US has added 192,000 jobs in March with the unemployment rate holding at 6.7%. This number is an improvement but still short of something to be overwhelmed by. The main point from the investor's point of view is how that number will impact any moves by the Fed to change it's base interest rate and/or quantitative easing. One suspects that the number is not nearly strong enough to do anything drastic.

CNN: Stocks: Looking to jobs for direction

The (jobs) report could influence the pace at which the Federal Reserve continues to withdraw its support for the economy.