Stock market today, Oct. 6, 2014: The U.S. stock markets rallied on Friday after a surprise jobs report showed that U.S. unemployment fell to 5.9%. It is the first time that the unemployment rate has fallen below 6% since 2008. The report offered more speculation that the U.S. Federal Reserve will likely raise interest rates by mid-2015.
Here's what else you should know to make your Monday profitable:
The Daily Deal: In a surprise announcement on Monday, Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) said it will split into two separate companies. The firm will split into two listed companies, one a personal computer business and the other as a manufacturer of printers. The deal is set to take place in 2015. The company said shareholders would own a stake in both companies through a tax-free transaction.
Reinvesting: Tech giant Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) announced that it will be investing roughly $20 million into Snapchat, a deal announced by the Wall Street Journal. The company is looking to place strategic investments following the successful IPO of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA). Yahoo still controls a large portion of Alibaba stock, but it was forced to sell a large chunk during the IPO.
No Smiles Here: This morning, The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) announced it had to provide a 1 billion-euro ($1.3 billion) round of funding in order to rescue its European subsidiary Euro Disney. The deal could ultimately give the firm total control of the theme park, which is Europe's largest tourist attraction.
Merger Mania: Shares of CareFusion (NYSE: CFN) soared in pre-market hours on news that the company has agreed to be acquired by Becton Dickinson (NYSE: BDX) for nearly $12.2 billion. Shares of CareFusion rose more than 26% after the medical equipment companies agreed to the cash and stock deal.
Dealer Dilemma: In another blow to the automaker's reputation, the General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) announced that it will be recalling more than 60,000 vehicles in North America. The company is currently settling lawsuits from 23 victims who perished from accidents tied to faulty ignition switches. Although GM set aside $400 million for the lawsuits, it is possible that the compensation fund rises by another $200 million as the investigation into other claims continues.
Today's Economic Calendar: Today's schedule features a speech by Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, an update on consumer spending, and the TD Ameritrade IMX.
Earnings Reports: Stay tuned for earnings reports from Container Store Group Inc. (NYSE: TCS), MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE: MTG), and ShoreTel Inc. (Nasdaq: SHOR).
Full U.S. Economic Calendar October 3, 2014
Gallup US Consumer Spending Measure at 8:30 a.m.
4-Week Bill Announcement at 11 a.m.
3-Month Bill Auction at 11:30 a.m.
6-Month Bill Auction at 11:30 a.m.
TD Ameritrade IMX at 12:30 p.m.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew speaks at 3 p.m.
Treasury STRIPS at 3 p.m.
Kansas City Fed President Esther George speaks at 8:30 p.m.
Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.