The stock market is up in pre-trading this morning, as the Commerce Department released the latest data for private sector jobs. The numbers were a blowout of expectations, as the US added 67,000 private sector jobs in August. Analysts expected an increase of only 30,000 jobs.

In addition to an increase in jobs last month the average hourly earnings per worker climbed 3 cents to $19.08, however the average work week remained unchanged from the month before at 34.2 hours.

The stock market has been looking for any glimmer of hope that it can come by, that the US is not headed towards a double dip recession. These job numbers, along with numbers earlier this week indicating that home prices rose last month, certainly are helping things. The Dow is up about 250 points from where it closed last week.