Stocks ended mixed territory as euphoria from better-than-expected jobs numbers faded in the wake of a report showed waning consumer confidence. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 146,000, and the unemployment rate fell to 7.7% from 7.9%. The data topped forecasts as economists had projected an increase of 80,000 jobs and an unchanged unemployment rate. Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index unexpectedly fell to 74.5 in December, coming in way below forecasts and down from 82.7 in November. Losses from Apple pushed Nasdaq lower, falling 2.6%. Netflix lost 0.22% as investors largely shrugged off a threat from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a Facebook posting by CEO Reed Hastings. Groupon surged almost 22.9% after Bloomberg reported that Google may be interested in acquiring the online daily deal company. Next week investors will closely watch whether the FOMC unveil more stimulus for the economy as its Operation Twist program expires. Fiscal cliff negotiations will also move the market. Retail sales for November, data on CPI, weekly jobless claims and a report on wholesale costs in November is slated to arrive. Reports from Dollar General, Costco Wholesale, Adobe Systems and a mid-quarter update from Texas Instruments are due.
