One of the best-known hedge funds, Soros Fund Management, admitted that it chewed over the sell signal given by the Big Mac index when the euro was launched, but then decided to ignore it.

ECONOMIST: Economics focus: The Big Mac index

One buy signal: Transportation stocks are rising in tandem with the blue-chip index, an occurrence that many investors view as a harbinger of more gains.

WSJ: As Confetti Settles, Strategists Wonder: Will Dow's Rally Last?

The weekly jobless claims tally from the Labor Department, which rose to 417, 000 in the latest signal that the economy is stagnating, pressured an earlier advance in stock index futures.

FORBES: Stocks Fall After Buffett Makes $5B Bet On BofA, Steve Jobs Steps Down At Apple

The measure for output slowed to 51.3 from 52.0 in December, while the employment index fell to 47.8 from 49, flashing a warning signal that companies are cutting jobs.

CNN: Growth in Chinese manufacturing slows