Based on primary research, now is the best time to “place a bet” on China as a place to set up a front office, said Jack Bell, managing director of Pantek Partners, at the World Trade Center San Diego's eighth annual China Business Outlook on Thursday.

Stocks advanced, extending the best start to a year for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index since 1987, after a report showed that employment growth topped estimates and the jobless rate unexpectedly fell to 8.3 percent.

Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Employment climbed more than forecast in January and the U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly fell to the lowest in three years, casting doubt on whether the Federal Reserve can wait until 2014 before raising interest rates

The excitement and buzz about the initial public offering for Facebook is amazing. First of all, however, it's important to understand the IPO is not coming out in a couple of days. The company just filed with the SEC last week.

Never underestimate the power of an economic cycle. For the last few years we have been mired in the depths of a terrible recession that has had a significant toll on most businesses and households. But as every recession ends, so an economic recovery follows.

Links to yesterday's stories.

Major Economic Releases

Qualcomm Inc., the world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone chips, rose to a 12-year high after the company increased sales and profit targets for the quarter and year on growing demand for smartphones.

If you have a Facebook page or friends that like to send you YouTube clips, chances are you've seen a few of this year's Super Bowl ads already.

Callaway Golf Co. announced the March 2 worldwide availability of the HEX Black Tour golf ball, and Life Technologies Corp. announced that Ronnie Andrews has joined the company as president of medical sciences, according to company announcements, SEC filings and Bloomberg News.

There are two reports on the job market out this morning. First, the Department of Labor said the number of people filing for unemployment benefits fell by 12,000 in the past week to 367,000. This followed a sharp increase the previous week.

Links to yesterday's stories.

Major Economic Releases

In terms of investments made, venture capitalists dealing in clean technology across the country were nearly as active in 2011 as they were in 2010, but the total dollar value of their investments declined, according to an Ernst & Young LLP analysis.

For those doubting the effect of Southern California’s life sciences industry, an economic impact report released Wednesday seeks to quantify it.

Swenson Advisors LLP, a full-service accounting firm with offices in San Diego and Murrieta, launched SwenAsia, a consulting division to provide turnkey project management business solutions.

Qualcomm Inc., the biggest maker of mobile-phone chips, forecast fiscal second-quarter sales that would be higher than analysts' predictions amid growing demand for smartphones.

Five more partners have left the law firm Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP ahead of its planned March 1 merger with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP.

Qualcomm Inc. raised its sales and profit expectations for this quarter and the year as the world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone chips benefits from growing demand for smartphones. The shares rose as much as 4.9 percent.

Stocks moved higher on Wednesday as investors reacted to optimistic employment news and solid corporate earnings.