Opening Bell: 12.02.11

Unemployment Slips To 8.6% (WSJ)
The U.S. labor market strengthened in November as private employers continued to add jobs at a healthy pace, while the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since March 2009. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 120,000 last month, the U.S. Labor Department reported Friday in its monthly survey of employers. Private companies added 140,000 jobs, while the public sector—federal, state and local governments—lost 20,000 jobs. The unemployment rate, obtained by a separate survey of U.S. households, fell to 8.6% in November from 9.0% the previous month. The rate hadn’t been below 9% since March, when it was 8.8%. The rate is now lower than at any point since March 2009, when it was 8.6% as well. In another positive development, October’s figure for nonfarm payrolls was revised upward to show a gain of 100,000 from a previously reported 80,000, while September was revised up to a 210,000 gain from 158,000.

A Euro Crisis Deal Emerges (WSJ)
In his first appearance before the European Parliament since taking the ECB helm last month, Mr. Draghi offered a road map for policy makers. He called on euro-zone governments to quickly craft a “new fiscal compact,” calling it “the most important element to start restoring credibility.” He added that “other elements might follow, but the sequencing matters.”

Merkel Says Joint Euro Bonds Unthinkable (Bloomberg)
Also: “Marathon runners often say that a marathon gets especially tough and strenuous after about 35 kilometers (22 miles),” Merkel told the lower house of parliament in a speech previewing the European Union summit. “But they also say you can last the whole course if you’re aware of the magnitude of the task from the start.”

Banks See Emerging-Market Rally on ‘Cheap’ Stocks (Bloomberg)
Morgan Stanley’s Jonathan Garner lifted his recommendation to “maximum overweight” for the first time since October 2008, according to a report today. Citigroup Inc.’s Markus Rosgen said Asian stocks may surge 30 percent, while Credit Suisse Group AG’s Sakthi Siva predicted 10 percent gains. Antoine van Agtmael, who coined the term “emerging markets” in 1981 and now oversees $7.4 billion at Ashmore EMM LLC, said the stocks are “cheap.” Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Masha Gordon has been buying equities most reliant on economic growth.

Zynga Looks To Raise $1 Billion (WSJ)
Online games developer Zynga Inc. set the terms of its planned initial public offering Friday, seeking as much as $1 billion by selling 100 million shares at a price between $8.50 and $10. At the $10 end of its IPO range, Zynga commands a valuation of nearly $7 billion, according to an updated prospectus filed Friday.

House Panel Eyes MF Subpoena; Corzine May Be Target (Reuters)
The House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a Dec. 8 hearing to examine the bankruptcy. In a statement late Thursday, it said it will meet on Friday “to consider the issuance of a subpoena to compel the attendance of a witness at the subsequent hearing to examine the MF Global bankruptcy.”

Drunk RIM employees disrupt Beijing-bound flight (The Star)
Two drunken Research In Motion employees forced an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Beijing to make an unscheduled stop in Vancouver, disrupting travel plans of more than 300 people. George Campbell, 45, of Conestogo, Ont., and Paul Alexander Wilson, 38, of Kitchener, pleaded guilty to one charge of mischief in Richmond Provincial Court on Wednesday. They were each given suspended sentences and one year’s probation, and ordered to pay restitution to Air Canada of $35,878 each, and barred from having any contact with Air Canada crews or flying that carrier during the probation period. The incident began Monday night aboard Air Canada Flight 31, a non-stop flight from Toronto to Beijing, where the unruly passengers consumed “too much alcohol” and “disobeyed” the flight crew, according to Richmond RCMP…After forcibly restraining the two men, the crew notified the RCMP of the decision at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, and the plane landed at about 10:21 p.m. in Vancouver.

Credit Raters Join The Rated (WSJ)
More than 100 analysts at credit-rating firms have left over the past five years to work for financial companies they once helped to rate, according to recent data aimed at flagging potential conflicts of interests at rating firms.

JPMorgan Follows UBS Cutting Carbon Jobs (Bloomberg)
Investment banks are cutting traders and analysts in climate-related businesses as a slump in shares and carbon emission permits coincides with a deadlock in international climate talks.

Sweden Is Safest as Crisis Upends Bond Market (Bloomberg)
Almost two decades after resolving its last banking crisis, Sweden boasts the world’s best-performing bond market. The country, which opted to stay outside the euro, has paid down its debts and imposed stricter controls on its lenders. Sweden’s government made a profit on its 2008 financial rescue, will post a budget surplus this year and pays less than any other European Union member to borrow for 10 years.

‘Hail Fail’ Cab Shock (NYP)
An undercover operation paying college kids $10 an hour to pose as cab riders has revealed that hundreds of hacks have refused to take them to the outer boroughs in violation of Taxi and Limousine Commission regulations, authorities said yesterday. The student agents have hailed 1,330 yellow cabs since September and been denied 361 times, according to TLC data. A quick crunch of the numbers shows that drivers were refusing rides 27 percent of the time. The more than 360 guilty cabbies collared in the dragnet face first-offense fines of $500. The young undercovers were looking for lifts to out-of-the-way neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and northern Manhattan. Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx were the least popular destinations, with refusal rates ranging between 15 and 63 percent during various time frames, the statistics revealed. The TLC partnered with Baruch College and other institutions in February to recruit the “secret shoppers,” as the co-ed operatives are known.

Comments (38)

  1. Posted by Indubitably | December 2, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    If I had options at 200 for a stock at 18 I would be getting drunk and unruly quite often as well

  2. Posted by Jimmy "Joints" Cayne | December 2, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    Have you ever seen the back of a worthless stock certificate on weed?

  3. Posted by jon corzine | December 2, 2011 at 9:38 AM

    Oh sure. Fuck you assholes.

  4. Posted by Festerbottom, C | December 2, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    English, cheech, english!

  5. Posted by Guest | December 2, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Waiting to hear back from MS on whether they'll take "farm cash"

  6. Posted by pazzo83 | December 2, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    JPMorgan follows UBS my ass!

    - J Dimon

  7. Posted by guest | December 2, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    I'm surprised RIM employees can afford to get drunk on an Air Canada flight at $7 a drink

    - Female Guest who would stick her tongue down the judge's throat if he barred from flying air Air Canada ever again

  8. Posted by Ruth | December 2, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    "Fuck you, assholes" or "Fuck, you assholes"?

  9. Posted by Al Swearingen | December 2, 2011 at 9:46 AM

    Aren't we all up for some mischeif, mayhem, and shennainagains now and then?

  10. Posted by geoffgeoffgeoff | December 2, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    Sigh. Doesn't the unemployment number slip each November due to holiday hires?

    -Captain Obvious, Not Impressed

  11. Posted by Yakiddinme | December 2, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    Nah, workforce participation dropped, multiplier effect.

    Lt. Simple, but also not impressed

  12. Posted by S&Pee | December 2, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    NEEDED: Back office restroom janitor
    REQUIREMENTS: Permanent resident work qualification, Bachelor degree from accredited university, 3-5 years experience at major credit rating agency
    QUALIFICATIONS: Highly analytical, effective oral and written communication, strong stomach

  13. Posted by jon corzine | December 2, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Traffic laws, marriage vows, securities regulations and punctuation rules simply do not apply to me. Were you asleep during the lecture regarding liberal impunity?

  14. Posted by BrotherLehman | December 2, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    Why the Dealbreaker obsession with snapshots of Angie every other day? Show me the Air Canada stewardess instead please.

    –Silvio B.

  15. Posted by Lisa Marie Falcone | December 2, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    I can't find Wilbur this morning!

  16. Posted by Merklesconi | December 2, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    My cock is THIS big.

  17. Posted by Peek&Poke | December 2, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    DB's trying to restrict your growth. But with you fuck know.

  18. Posted by Peek&Poke | December 2, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    fuck knows*

  19. Posted by Judge | December 2, 2011 at 10:29 AM

    The funny thing about my throat, Jules, is it's on my cock.

  20. Posted by Guest | December 2, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    It seems to me that in Europe political success is highly correlated with coming up with the completely useless analogies.

  21. Posted by Cut Me | December 2, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    So DSK rings my bell at 1AM then asks, "have you ever wrangled anything this big".
    -Merkel

  22. Posted by Not Me | December 2, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    I am absolutely shocked. I cannot believe that there is such a revolving door relationship between rating agencies and financial firms. You know Armageddon is neigh when employees from the SEC take jobs at the same firms they oversee.

  23. Posted by NowOnePerson | December 2, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    Signed,
    -Mr. Ed

  24. Posted by schadenfruede | December 2, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    wish you could say the same about margin calls huh.

    see that spanish ten year bounce off the lows ?

    wonder who puked it out down there…

  25. Posted by Guest | December 2, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    Call me.
    –Marisa Noel

  26. Posted by FKApmco | December 2, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    I chortled with joy, NOP. Nigh impossible to top that response.

  27. Posted by Guy with A.D.D. | December 2, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    I swear the fucking fish was this big, no joke!

    -Angela Merkel

  28. Posted by Secretariat | December 2, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    Hey!

  29. Posted by Guest | December 2, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    Bass to mouth?

  30. Posted by whowhawhen | December 2, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    never, bro, never

  31. Posted by ThisBig | December 2, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    Wall Streeters are still losing their jobs left and right and the best part is watching them pretend to be okay with how the market is right now. My coworker lost a contact at a hedge fund due to mass layoffs and he thinks he is next.

  32. Posted by Guest | December 2, 2011 at 12:45 PM

    If a big astroid is heading to earth, which will destory all life on the planet. Do you whine and cry about it, or enjoy the time that you have left?

  33. Posted by ThisBig | December 2, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    Correction: "Okay" meaning they act like bitter kids and don't do anything about the fact that you must adapt and reinvent yourself in a new market- not act like your not sinking. And to answer your question, I would kick your ass and have a beer.

  34. Posted by ThisBig | December 2, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    jk

  35. Posted by dirty_dirty_harry | December 2, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    Sure glad Bess put the strap-on away. Yesterday’s ass-pounding topics made my ass sore and I’m not even taking the exam.

  36. Posted by what does jk mean, must one embarass oneself with a search | December 2, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    what does jk mean, must one embarass oneself with a search

  37. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2011 at 2:04 AM

    Soneone should be checking into a possible leak in the US numbers. Europe opened on a spike with a big buy order coming in minutes before. It didn't seem to be because of what Merkel was saying.

  38. Posted by Christopher | December 5, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    Who has a better excuse for getting drunk than RiM employees, anyway.

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