@ The White House
In the morning, President Obama will sign the Korea, Panama and Colombia Free Trade Agreements and the renewal of Trade Adjustment Assistance for workers in the Oval Office. These trade agreements will significantly boost American exports, support tens of thousands of American jobs and protect labor rights, the environment and intellectual property.
Later, the President will drop by a reception in the Rose Garden with business and labor leaders as well as workers who will benefit from these bills.
In the afternoon, the President will honor the recipients of the 2010 National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation?the highest honors bestowed by the United States government on scientists, engineers, and inventors. He will also announce additional steps to speed the process of moving new ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace.
@ Wall Street
Europe will keep its stranglehold on markets Friday. A lack of U.S. economic data will give investors little else to focus on ahead of the weekend.
There are a few major earnings, but traders have spent more time this week worrying about German newspaper headlines and news wires quoting unnamed EU sources than about some of the major earnings news. General Electric, an economic bellwether, McDonald's, Verizon and Honeywell report Friday morning.
