Stocks around the world have been rising today, after a bumpy start to the week. The job numbers to be released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Friday will provide a snapshot of how the U.S. economy is doing.

The numbers will be closely watched by the Federal Reserve, since it will be the last jobs report before the Fed's much-anticipated decision about whether it will raise interest rates soon. The Fed will be trying to gauge the health of the U.S. economy in making that decision. Here & Now's Lisa Mullins takes a look at the economy with NPR's John Ydstie.