Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Shippers Continue to Rise, SUPERVALU Rockets Upwards

Toward the end of trading Friday, the Dow traded up 0.38 percent to 13,441.18 while the NASDAQ rose 0.19 percent to 3,106.24. The S&P also rose, increasing 0.57 percent to 1,467.02.

At the top of the headlines today, the U.S. unemployment numbers were released, coming in at 7.8 percent, edging slightly higher than the November report of 7.7 percent. The report showed that the economy had added 155,000 jobs, not enough to affect the overall number.

DryShips

saw quite a boost Friday, rising 23.41 percent to $2.13, possibly linked to a resolution with Longshoremen's Association. Shares of SUPERVALU

shot up midway through the afternoon friday, rising 15.02 percent to $2.98 on news that its deal with Cerberus was close to completion. MBIA

was also up, gaining 12.65 percent to $9.17 after word that documents relating to Bank of America would be unsealed on the 9th or 10th.

Bill Barrett

fell early in trading, leveling out by midday, trading down 5.42 percent to $18.16 after issuing some guidance this morning. Finish Line

was down as well, falling 9.87 percent to $17.16 after posting a big miss on earnings Friday morning. Shares of SunPower

traded down 4.63 percent to $8.65 as the company gave back some of the massive gains it has seen the past few days.

In commodity news, oil traded flat at $92.92, while gold traded down 1.06 percent to $1,656.90. Silver traded down 0.54 percent Friday to $30.18.

In the eurozone this morning, markets were largely down across the board as the FOMC minutes showed a possibility of less easing in the near future.

In economic news Friday, the jobs numbers for December were released, and were fairly mixed. The Unemployment rate came in at 7.8 percent, above the projected 7.7 percent, but equal to November's report. Manufacturing payrolls came in at 25.0 thousand, above the anticipated 4.0 thousand and the prior release of 5.0 thousand. Private sector payrolls were also reported, coming in at 168 thousand, above the projected 155 thousand, but slightly below the last report of 171 thousand. ADP nonfarm employment was reported as well, coming in at 215 thousand, well above the projected 133 thousand and the prior release of 148 thousand. Closing out the jobs report was nonfarm payrolls. Coming in at 155 thousand, it beat estimates of 152 thousand, but missed November's report of 161 thousand.