Employment growth seen slowing.

Employment data for November is due out this morning, with economists expecting that the rise in nonfarm payrolls slowed to 85,000 from 171,000 in October, while the jobless rate is estimated to have stayed unchanged at 7.9%. Superstorm Sandy was likely to be have been a key factor that held back hiring, although the uncertainty engendered by the U.S. meandering its merry way towards the fiscal cliff is probably also not helping.