This Morning: Ford, Economic Data

This morning, Ford Motor Co. announces its quarterly earnings before Wall Street opens, giving us a window into just how bad the last three months and the full year of 2008 were for the strongest of the Big Three.

The markets this morning will also digest some other bits of economic data before the bell. Aside from weekly jobless claims, at 8:30 a.m., the government will release a report about sales of durable goods, or big ticket items, in December. The numbers are not expected to be strong, given the weak consumer spending environment. And at 10 a.m., data on new homes sales for the month will also be released. With new home construction at lows not seen in decades, sales are not expected to be encouraging.

--Sara Goo