Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 is hugging the flat line as it heads into the week's closing stretch. It is a commendable performance given how far it has come from its August 5 lows (+12.2%).

This week it was bolstered by China's surprising stimulus moves. Next week it will contend with some key economic data that includes the September ISM Manufacturing PMI, the September ISM Services PMI, and the September Employment Situation Report.

The latter is the headliner, because it will reveal nonfarm payroll trends that are key to the Fed's policy outlook, not to mention economic growth prospects.

There will be some residual employment information leading up to that report. The Manufacturing PMI and Services PMI both have employment indexes, the August JOLTS - Job Openings Report is on Tuesday, the September ADP Employment Change report is on Wednesday, and the weekly Initial and Continuing Jobless Claims Report is on Thursday.