. >> you're watching first business with tom penders and beejal patel >> glad you're along for the ride ahead of thursday's market action, not a lot on the tape for investors to consider. all ahead of how the unemployment picture has been shaping up in the month of july. those numbers are due out on friday. still the market trying to drift higher here. >> and tom, one trader actually likens the stock market rally to a house of straw. and yet he says the market mail still not pull back and we'll hear more on that in a moment. >> if that's the case here's the big bad wolfe who will try to huff and puff and try to blow the house down. home prices see a certain amount of destruction, but we're waiting for friday's numbers, the job numbers. any kind of hope and silver lining at this point. >> and retail sales, same store sales on the retailers due out on thursday as well as the jobless claims as well that continues to be a big news for the market. >> the stock market rally that started in march has been impressive, beating many people's expectations, especially in the mi midst of this histor