The Federal Reserve’s new communication strategy was supposed to make it easier to decipher the intentions of the famously secretive institution. Markets, however, seem to have missed the memo.NEW YORK (AP) — Markets are taking a breather between a dismal manufacturing report Monday and the release of crucial job numbers Friday.
In light premarket trading Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial futures are up 13 points to 12,963. The broader S&P futures added 1.5 points to 1,408.60. Nasdaq futures are up 3.75 points to 2,674.
Friday's Labor Department report could have a huge influence on how the government acts in trying to kick-start the economy.
Superstorm Sandy is still skewing economic data, and economists believe more than 100,000 people may have been pushed off employment rolls by the storm.
On Monday, the Institute for Supply Management reported U.S. manufacturing declined in November to its weakest level since July 2009
The trend had been one of steady improvement.
