Stocks started the morning off mixed after the report on unemployment. This morning the Labor Department reported better than expected news on the current unemployment situation. In the week ended August 28 initial claims for unemployment benefits were down by 6,000, or 472 claims. This week's report was the second week in a row to show a decline in claims; last week there were a total of 478,000 filings. Analysts were expecting this week's claims to rise by 2,000, or 475,000 claims. The report also showed that continuing claims fell this week. Continuing claims fell by 23,000 to 4.456 million, down from last week's 4.479 million claims. Last week; the 4-week moving average of initial claims fell 2,500 to 485,500 and the 4-week moving average for ongoing claims fell by 28,500 to 4.485 million. Investors anxiously await tomorrow's report from the labor Department on the broader look at the job market. With just a half hour left in the day, the Dow was down 30 points. Commodity prices rose today, as the dollar pushed them higher; the greenback rose versus the yen but fell versus the pound and the euro. Investors anxiously await the Labor Department's weekly report on jobs; it is expected that trading volume will be low tomorrow due to the Labor Day weekend.

Free Daily Stock Picks activity and results for September 2, 2010:

UTIW - 1st Target Level hit for a gain of 0.39 points
SCMR - 3rd Target Level hit for a gain of 0.97 points
DLM - 1st Target Level hit for a gain of 0.33 points
PSS - 2nd Target Level hit for a gain of 0.52 points

Total: 4 positions; +2.21 points; $221 (based on 100 shares)

---

Stocks Day Trading Picks results:
Total: 9 positions; +4.01 points; +$401 (based on 100 shares)

---

Forex Day Trading Picks results:
Total: OPEN positions; $ (based on 1 contract)

---


Futures Day Trading Picks results:
Total: 1 position; +$100 (based on 1 standard lot)
...