Weekend Homework: Know Your Economy

The weekend is here. And if you're anything like us, that means mixed in with some relaxation and down time, you'll be doing something with your money (or at least thinking about it). It could be as life-altering as hunting for a new house or sizing up your retirement plans – or as casual as agonizing over whether to buy that snazzy flat-screen TV at the store.

You'll feel more comfortable making any of those decisions if you improve your feel for where the economy's heading. No one has an exact answer to that question of course—but you can read some of the tea leaves and make up your own mind about how soon things might improve.

For this weekend, we've pulled together some information to help you gauge where the economy is going:

7 Key Takeaways From This Earnings Season
Corporate earnings have been moving the stock market up and down in recent days. And buried within many company reports, you'll find clues about the economy's future.

The Market’s Next Big Move? Nowhere
SmartMoney.com columnist Jack Hough says the cheerleaders and doomsayers both have it wrong—and investors should prepare for boredom.

Earnings Season Provides Little Clarity
Pundits are still searching for signs the U.S. is on the road to recovery.