" This is Money Markets & More for Tuesday February 3 2009. From the newsroom of the MarketWatch radio network I'm Steve Potisk coming up. A big retailer is cutting jobs get in line. If you're filing for unemployment be prepared and value conscious consumers are heading to the movies but first. If you love Money Markets & More he'll also dig your money with Chuck Jaffe look forward at marketwatch.com. Slash podcasts. A good idea. And the -- economic news comes from a two of the weakest areas of the economy. Look for pending home sales for December those with signed contracts that haven't yet closed. It's seen as a pretty good indicator of the future for existing home sales in November they were down about 4%. Also get the January auto sales numbers that should be up to be another brutal month. With double digit declines. But look for the slimmest of silver linings to that clout Ford's top sales analyst says that retail demand has actually been steady in the past four months. Southern India expects to continue. -- but as blames the drop in demand from rental car companies. For the continued bloodletting for car makers -- earnings to watch for Avon. Oil company BP builders Centex and DR Horton drug companies Merck and Schering-Plough met life -- Rolla Dow Chemical. UPS Disney. And the company behind Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Yum! Brands. On this date in business history 169 -- colony of Massachusetts. Issues the first paper money in America. 1870 the fifteenth amendment to the US constitution is ratified granting voting rights to citizens regardless of race. And in 1913 the sixteenth amendment of the constitution was ratified. Authorizing the federal government to impose and collect income taxes. Are. Wall Street kicked off the new week with a choppy and mixed session about losing 64 points. NASDAQ though rose eighteen -- MP slipped to half point. Investors were afraid to take strong stands with questions about what -- any kind of stimulus package may come out of Washington. And manufacturing that is still in contraction capsule weighing on stocks also weighing on the market sentiment -- was more evidence that consumers are not spending. And -- down for a sixth straight month as people worry. The economy and jobs but with most of us spending less many of us are saving more. The savings rate did jump the highest amount since may rising better than three and a half percent. Another retailer responding to consumers cutting back on spending may seizes slashing 7000. Jobs or 4% of its workforce. The chain says it expects the all important measure of retail success -- sales at stores open at least a year. -- it down between six and 8% this year. Macy's also cutting its dividend by more than half. The Wall Street Journal says Morgan Stanley may be cutting up to 1800 jobs this month and the office furniture maker Steelcase. -- cutting salaries and laying off 300 of the 600 workers -- told that they were facing extinction. -- the list of job cuts keeps getting longer and longer and longer you know unemployment rate of sixteen year high and expected to rise. As soon as this Friday -- the January jobs."

" Worse many economists predict they'll continue to rise to meet and reach a while reading 182 recession which he'd get ten point 8%."

" David -- and managing director at technology consulting company bearing point. He says the flood of unemployment claims as putting tremendous stress on state offices that handle those claims. And so what's essential if you need to file the prepared."

" Worsening an avid interest and in the line you don't have the proper information. The information there have typically the demographic. Information Social Security numbers you know after it. The employment information. And the reason why became unemployed very important to."

" and says a good place to start as your State's unemployment office website which usually -- information and provides the needed forms. As well as to tell you where to find your local office. Okay with so many people worried about layoffs are getting more cautious with our entertainment buck. Here's Tracy Johnke presiding over the consumer corner or hey in this case --"

" All right Steve chick chat returns to the it's Meehan and Kate since our consumer base -- to have that letter redoing them in it long it. Cold depths of -- going out shoveling snow army staying home and watching DPP's."

" Now actually a lot of people are going out to movie theaters and the movies are necessarily cheap -- it's not where I live but. It's you know less expensive England you know Bruce Springsteen concert or you know pro sports gamers have -- like that so. Actually for the first time ever box office revenue. In January topped one billion dollars and there was. Really you know any super. Big hits the united at at the box office although the was that the Paul blah Arden mall cop even though it got completely hand basically by ever critic. As been very you know very surprising hit that helped also Clint eastwood's Gran Torino so. -- To be entertained the pick going to a movie. As opposed to you know as as one analyst called it. Hit for the Los Angeles Times going to the movies is the and the new vacation for 2009 so that's. Some people are treating themselves to that because you know that's basically at. Although these tickets to movie that -- Chinese and it on tickets and by some sodas and popcorn candy and here like sixty bucks -- now that's I don't consider chief but."

" Not quite that Nichols now and that they you know our grandparents and great grandparents on the Great Depression. Right in fact you know obviously these are very big during the Great Depression as a form of escapism for the man and movie attendance back that was actually a lot higher than it is now. But conversely you know we we have. I inherited -- higher ticket prices we have TVs we have. Dvds via video games -- all kinds of things that are grandparents you know didn't necessarily have around during the 1930s so we've gotten more. You know entertainment choose from technically kick -- can -- played kick the can Nintendo -- its first exactly. Or kids Lou. Right at thank you thank you thank you."

" Things lately -- to that complex. And that's it for Money Markets & More but again you've heard from us and we'd like to hear from you you can write to us at MarketWatch radio newsroom at Yahoo.com. I'm Steve Potisk and -- see you next time."