Jobless Claims, Oil Prices & Healthcare

Good morning. Premarket futures are showing a slight positive bias following a dip in weekly jobless claims and oil prices.

However, the newswires are again on the light side with buying interest focused on alternative energy and some sell interest in healthcare after Coventry Health Care (CVH) trimmed its guidance because of unanticipated costs and increased Medicare claims by patients.

Premarket gainers: ESLR, USNA, ORCT, CWST, IMAX, NCOC, AHG, HWAY, LNCR, LVLT, POWR, MT, SGMO, ROYL, OMNI, AKNS, JRCC, SOLF, ENER, CHK, CPSL, DRYS, & PINN.

Premarket losers: HUN, LEAP, XMSR, SIRI, CVH, UNH, HUM, WCG, WLP, NOK, SOHU, TRIN, UBS, CSE, & PRGS.

Ahead of tomorrow's quadruple witching, the final two economic reports of the week - Leading Indicators & Philadelphia Fed Survey - will be out at 10:AM. Also this afternoon Fed Governor Donald Kohn testifies to Senate Banking Committee on risk management.

As usual, around options expiration we should expect to see some choppy action over the next two trading days. Although it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see another rally attempt, it will be difficult to dig out of the hole we are in for the week. Have a terrific Thursday!