Friday Look Ahead: Jobs Report Could Be Weak, But Markets May Not Care
Published: Thursday, 4 Nov 2010 | 7:02 PM ET
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By: Patti Domm
CNBC Executive Editor
The October employment report is not expected to show much in the way of new job growth, but the euphoria over Fed easing may trump any concern in markets Friday.
Economists are forecasting a non-farm payrolls gain of 60,000 for October, when the number is released at 8:30 a.m.
In September, the monthly report showed the creation of 64,000 private sector jobs, but a total loss of 95,000 because of government job losses.
Stocks vaulted higher Thursday, as the Fed's announcement of a $600 billion quatitative easing program fired up a global risk rally.
The major stock indices all finished above their year highs, and the Dow and S&P 500 finished at levels not seen since the weeks around the failure of Lehman Brothers in September, 2008.
"I don't see a reason why the (jobs) numbers should be strong," said Deutsche Bank chief U.S. economists Joseph LaVorgna.
He noted, however, that there were surprise gains in the ISM manufacturing and service sector reports this week, as well as the better-than-expected private payroll number from ADP.
"It would be nice if it was...There's probably some upside risk. We're due for a big number, but I don't know why it has to be tomorrow," he said. "If the number is good, it will be big for stocks."
LaVorgna expects private payrolls to grow by 90,000, and the total non-farm payroll number to be 80,000.
The consensus among economists for growth in private sector payrolls is 80,000, and the unemployment rate is expected to hold at 9.6 percent.
Pierpont Securities chief economist Stephen Stanley expects to see 125,000 jobs added in October.
Economists expect losses in public sector jobs to have less of an impact in October than in prior months, when the federal government was furloughing temporary census workers and state and local governments had big layoffs.
"The consensus is arguing the deceleration we had in September continued. I think the labor market is languishing, but I don't think it got worse. I think a lot of firms were waiting for the election to see how things are going to go and how taxes are going to be. I really think there's a chance we see a real acceleration as we head into 2011," said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities.
Already a new tone from the White House is encouraging some in the markets that the environment for business might change.
A White House spokesman Thursday said the president would consider discussing extending all of the Bush tax cuts. President Obama had opposed extending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
He also reached out to business Wednesday, in his first comments after Tuesday's major Republican win in Congressional races.
"I think we'll see more private sector growth coming from employment numbers, between the QE2 and the election behind us," said Joseph Quinlan, chief market strategist at U.S. Trust. "I think a president willing to come a little to the center, reach across the aisle and work with Congress...that could be the tipping point for getting CEOs to loosen the purse strings and start their hiring."