So, how are you feeling? Confident that the economy is turning the corner and businesses are on the brink of adding a lot more workers? Or worried that the economy is on an arid labor market plateau, where companies grow but hiring does not?
Whether Americans are feeling mostly secure or insecure about jobs is the driving force behind the Conference Board's index of Consumer Confidence, with the March reading out at 10 a.m. ET.
In February the index dropped sharply, but it had risen sharply in January, so the two months together were either seen as a wash, and no big deal, or as a sign that the economy just isn't gathering enough momentum to really push ahead.
Also on tap are three Federal Reserve speakers -- Atlanta Fed president Jack Guynn, Fed governor Ben Bernanke, and St. Louis Fed president Bill Poole.
Watch Guynn and Poole to see if they are getting more worried about possible inflation pressures. Bernanke speaks on trade and jobs. It will be interesting to get his take on outsourcing, the loss of jobs overseas, and whether this key Fed policy thinker sees this as a long-term problem or a temporary blip in an otherwise strong labor market.
Kathleen Hays anchors CNN Money Morning and The FlipSide, airing Monday to Friday on CNNfn. As part of CNN's Business News team, she also contributes to Lou Dobbs Tonight.
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