TradingMarkets 7 stocks you need to know for Friday

Stocks were mixed Thursday ahead of Friday's CPI report.

The trade deficit for August widened to $59 billion vs. $57.9 billion in July; jobless claims for the week of 10/8 fell 2000 to 389,000 vs. the 360,000 consensus. Job losses from the recent hurricanes jumped to 438,000.  Import prices rose +1.8%, the most in 15 years. Export prices rose 1.7%.

Oil inventories rose 1 million barrels, in-line, and the first build in seven weeks. Gasoline inventories fell 2.7 million barrels, also in-line. Distillates fell 3.4 million barrels. Natural gas added 58 billion cubic feet.

Now, here are a few stocks to watch on Friday:

Boston Scientific (BSX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is expected to report 0.44 on Friday.

General Electric (GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is expected to report 0.44.

United Health (UNH | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is expected to report 0.63.

Knight Ridder (KRI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) should report 0.66.

BB&T (BBT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is expected to report 0.77.

After the close Thursday, Waters (WAT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) guided lower for Q3.

EDO (EDO | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) won contracts worth $15 million from the Navy and the Marines.

Brice Wightman