Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

Investors can expect a positive start to the stock market today, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.69%) will rise by 55 points at the opening bell, according to index futures. The Labor Department's just-released employment report showed that the economy added 203,000 jobs in November, ahead of the 185,000 economists expected. The unemployment rate also dove by 0.3 percentage points to 7%. Jobs data from the prior two months was revised higher as well, suggesting that the job market picked up steam this fall.

With that bigger picture in mind, here are a few individual stock stories to watch for in today's market.

If Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) investors are expecting a bidding war to break out over their company, they might want to tamper those hopes. A commissioner at the FCC told The Wall Street Journal last night that regulatory hurdles would likely keep a Comcast purchase from being approved. That leaves Charter Communications (CHTR 0.46%), the fourth-largest cable operator, as still the most likely contender to snap up Time Warner. Charter is reportedly working on a deal to offer $90 a share in cash, along with stock in the combined company. Time Warner has seen its stock jump nearly 40% this year, partly on buyout rumors, despite having just booked a loss of 300,000 video subscribers in the third quarter.

Next, in what the CEO described as "clearly unsatisfactory" results, American Eagle Outfitters (AEO 2.75%) this morning booked just $0.19 a share in third-quarter profit, well below the $0.41 it earned in the prior-year period. Comparable-store sales fell by 5% and inventory levels ticked higher as well. Looking ahead, American Eagle doesn't see a quick holiday rebound in the cards: comparable-store sales are expected to shrink again, and earnings per share should come in at $0.28 a share, compared to the $0.55 it earned a year before. The stock is down 7% in premarket trading.

Finally, Illinois Tool Works (ITW 0.27%) this morning said it expects to book $3.60 a share in profit for the full year. That's slightly below the $3.62 that analysts expected. The company also said it sees organic revenue ticking higher by between 2% and 3% next year, with 2014 profit coming in at about $4.40 per share, below the $4.46 that Wall Street had estimated. ITW is set to give investors more details in its analyst meeting later today. The stock is unchanged in premarket trading.