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The Construction and the real estate hiring is going up as Americans invest in refurbishing their homes in the middle of signs that the worst of the housing-market declines may be over. The number of people working in residential remodeling grew 5.8 percent in December to 250,700 from a year earlier, based on preliminary data released Feb. 3 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was the highest growth for these jobs — which account for about 5 percent of construction employment — since December 2006, before the housing bubble burst.

Sales of existing homes, which rose 5 percent in December, precede spending on development projects by about six months, as new owners often do a lot of “fix-ups” soon after they move in, said Kermit Baker, a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. That means there’s now an intensification market for this work, buoyed by demand that’s more optional in nature such as minor kitchen remodels and mild winter weather in much of the America.

The U.S. stock-index futures jumped indicating the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index will expand last week’s gain, after Greece won a second bailout to avoid non-payment.  Home Depot Inc. climbed in early New York trading after profit beat analyst estimates. Corning Inc. (GLW) ascend in Germany after a report said its business plans will show the way to an increase in the share price.

Futures on the S&P 500 expiring in March gained 0.2 percent to 1,362 at 6:29 a.m. in New York, paring an earlier advance of as much as 0.7 percent. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rallied 33 points, or 0.3 percent, to 12,962. U.S. stock exchanges resume trading today after the Presidents’ Day holiday.

The rescue is a big respite and should help the market today said Arnaud Scarpaci, a fund manager at Agilis Gestion SA in Paris, which oversees about $84 million. “The Greek problem finally is on its way to being resolute.

China is clamping down on congestion in the world’s major automobile market, benefiting companies with well-established production and sales, such as General Motors Co. (GM), while hurting novices to the market.

Foreign automakers received preferential treatment for seven years on their Chinese plants as the country sought foreign investment. Now, the carmakers will only be eligible for motivation on factories approved by the government before Jan. 30, the nation’s top economic planner said on its website Dec. 29. More important, the rules signal that China will be less inclined to sign off on new applications, according to research firm LMC Automotive. The message is that you’re not welcome here anymore; we have enough guests said John Zeng, Shanghai-based director of Asian forecasting at LMC Automotive.

The push may result in China closing its doors to innovative foreign carmakers, benefiting previous entrants including GM and Volkswagen AG (VOW), as their future expansion plans were almost certainly permitted by the government.

Graff Diamonds Ltd., the London- based retailer whose founder twice set records buying gems at auction, may conduct an initial public offering to rise as much as $1 billion in Hong Kong in the second quarter of this year, said two people with knowledge of the matter. The company has filed an application for the listing with the Chinese city’s stock exchange, said one of the people, who declined to be recognized because the information is private. Graff also produces and sells diamonds, runs a store in the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.

Credit Suisse Group AG, Deutsche Bank AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley will manage the offering, the people said. An employee at Graff’s London office, who declined to be named, said company officials were not immediately available to comment on the IPO plan.

Graff Diamonds is following brands such as Prada SpA (1913) to the southern Chinese city, looking for to lift money in a region where demand for luxury goods is accelerating as the European and U.S. economies stall.

Moody’s Investors Service slash the debt ratings of six European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal and said it may cut France and the U.K. of their top Aaa ratings, quoting Europe’s debt crisis. Spain was downgraded to A3 from A1 yesterday, Italy to A3 from A2 and Portugal to Ba3 from Ba2, all with negative outlooks. Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta also had their ratings lowered.

“Policy makers have made steps forward but we do not think they have done enough to comfort the market that we are on a steady path,” said Alistair Wilson, chief credit officer for Europe at Moody’s in London. “What will guide long-term ratings is the clarity and the performance of policy makers and the macro picture.”

The euro upturned losses after a report showed German investor assurance rose more than economists forecast in February. Moody’s decision highlighted the risk that the European debt crisis will deepen even as the region’s finance ministers prepare to meet tomorrow to discuss a second aid package for Greece, subsequent the country’s endorsement of severity measures.