Anticipating the Labor Department's employment numbers due out tomorrow, a report on jobless claims today showed a rise of 16,000 to 317,000 for the month of September. This is a higher number than expected and had stocks opening mixed in trading this morning:Weaker economic data bolsters the case for further rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which lowered rates in September for the first time in four years. But the jobless claims report also precedes the department's much-anticipated September employment report on Friday, and Wall Street is crossing its fingers for a rebound. A strong job market has been an important prop for the U.S. economy, helping to offset investor concerns over a housing slump and sluggish growth. August's job creation report was a major disappointment, showing a decline in payrolls when economists had forecast moderate growth. The data shocked Wall Street and sent the Dow Jones industrial average down nearly 250 points on Sept. 7. Some are optimistic that the...(Read Full Post)