initial jobless claims

Gainers

• United States Oil (NYSE: USO) up 1.32 percent to $37.50. Traders taking a cue from U.S. economic data today, as initial jobless claims came in below views, signalling potential continuation of economic recovery.
  
  Crude December contracts are $1.25 to $96.99 per barrel on the Comex.
• SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) up 0.56 percent to $123.85.
  
  U.S. markets are generally in positive territory Thursday, as initial jobless claims of 390 thousand came in below consensus estimates calling for about 400 thousand.

Gainers

• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) up 3.33 percent to $44.40. The CBOE VIX near-term index is 4 percent better on the day, as financials are showing weakness on JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM) results as CEO Jamie Dimon still called the economic environment "challenging." Otherwise, initial jobless claims came in at 404,000 last week, slightly below the 406,000 expected, but not enough to spur a movement.
• Semiconductor HOLDRs (NYSE: SMH) up 0.51 percent to $29.82.

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits rose last week, a sign that jobs remain scarce even as the economy recovers.

The number of new claims for unemployment benefits jumped unexpectedly last week as heavy snows led to higher layoffs.

StreetInsider.com Notable ETF Movers: HIGHER;

• PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish (NYSE: UUP) rising, up 1.16 to $22.74, on lower than expected initial jobless claims.

LOWER:

• United States Oil Fund LP (NYSE: USO) down about 2.64% to $39.48.
  
  News that crude oil inventories gained by 1.76 million barrels, showing a wider gap between supply and demand.
• Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE) also down 1.84% to $57.12.
  
  The fund is reacting on the crude inventory data, as many of its holdings are oil related (XOM, COP, OXY, HAL, and more).

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session: Before Market Opens: Economics: 8:30am ET

• Employment Cost Index - no Street consensus
• Initial jobless claims - Street Sees 520K
• Continuing Claims - Street Sees 5.75M

Earnings: Abiomed, Inc.

(NASDAQ: ABMD) – consensus loss $0.21 Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABII) – consensus loss $0.55 ACI Worldwide, Inc.

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session: Before Market Opens: Economics: 8:30am ET

• Initial Jobless Claims for the week of 10/03 - Street expects 540K
• Continuing Claims - Street expects 6.105M

Earnings: Marriott (NYSE: MAR) - consensus EPS $0.13 Intraday or Not Specified: Economics: 10am ET

• Wholesale Inventories for August - Street expects -1%

Earnings: International Speedway (Nasdaq: ISCA) - consensus EPS $0.38 Pepsi (NYSE: PEP) - consensus $1.03 After Market Closes:

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session: Before Market Opens: Economics: 8:30am ET

• Initial Jobless Claims for the week of 9/19 - Street expects 550K

Earnings: 3Com (Nasdaq: COMS) - consensus EPS $0.05 American Greetings (NYSE: AM) - consensus EPS $0.06 McCormick & Company (NYSE: MKC) - consensus EPS $0.54 Neogen (Nasdaq: NEOG) - consensus EPS $0.26 Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) - consensus loss $0.16 Steelcase (NYSE: SCS) - consensus EPS $0.01 Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) - consensus loss $1.09 Intraday or Not Specif

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session: Before Market Opens: Economics: 8:30am ET

• Building Permits for August - Street expects 596K
• Housing Starts for August - Street expects 580K
• Initial Jobless Claims - Street expects 555K

Earnings: Discover Financial (NYSE: DFS) - consensus loss $0.12 FedEx (NYSE: FDX) - consensus EPS $0.58 Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) - consensus loss $0.22 Intraday or Not Specified: Economics: 10am ET

• Philly Fed Index for Sept.

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session: Before Market Opens: Economics: 8:30am ET

• Initial Jobless Claims for the week of 8/29 - Street expects 570K

Earnings: Ciena Corp.

(Nasdaq: CIEN) - consensus loss $0.13 Jackson Hewitt Tax Services (NYSE: JTX) - consensus loss $0.71 Teekay Corp.