DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNNFN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I'm David Haffenreffer at the CNN Financial News Desk in New York with this business update on this Thursday morning. For Wall Street, economic numbers will share the spotlight with earnings later on this morning. A batch of reports are set to be released beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. The most closely watched may well be weekly jobless claims. They're expected to show another increase in the number of Americans filing for first time benefits. We'll also get the latest figures on the Employee Cost Index, a measure of wage inflation; September orders for durable goods; and at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, September sales for existing homes. To shore up the economy, the House late yesterday narrowly passed a $100 billion stimulus plan weighted toward tax breaks for businesses and individuals. But the Senate is likely to roll out an alternative package, with Democrats calling for more spending for unemployed workers. And finally, Microsoft's next generation operating system, Windows XP, hits stores today. The product launch is the biggest since Windows 95. Microsoft and computer manufacturers hope Windows XP will help lift weak PC sales. Microsoft's shares gained ground yesterday along with other tech stocks, and that helped to boost the Nasdaq Composite by 1 1/2 percent. The Dow Industrials and the S&P; 500 Index edged up slightly. Early indications on this Thursday morning pointing to a mixed open for us today. And that is the latest financial news. We'll go back to Leon and Daryn in Atlanta.</s>HARRIS: Thank you, David.</s>KAGAN: Thank you, David.</s>HARRIS: We'll check back with you in a few minutes then.
Look for Mixed Opening in Stock Markets