FYI: U.S. stock index futures were slightly lower Friday morning.
At around 03:50 a.m. ET, Dow futures dipped 35 points, indicating a negative open of more than 18 points. Futures on the S&P and Nasdaq were both marginally lower.
The moves in pre-market trade come after China posted its weakest growth in nearly three decades, as the U.S.-China trade war hit demand at home and abroad.
The world’s second-largest economy grew 6% in the third quarter, less than expected, and its weakest pace of expansion in over 27 years.
Chinese stocks dropped sharply Friday after the economy slowed further in the third quarter, adding to mounting concerns about global growth.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite index fell 1.3%, its biggest decline in a month. Fresh data showed that China’s economy grew 6% in the quarter as business activity continued to deteriorate in the world’s No. 2 economy. Each quarterly slowdown in growth has pulled the economic performance to new lows not seen since the current measure of output was adopted in 1992.
Elsewhere, stocks in major markets were largely flat Friday as investors weighed evidence of the further slowdown in China’s economy and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. The Stoxx Europe 600 edged down 0.1%, while U.S. stock futures posted small declines.
In the U.K., the FTSE 250 equity index ticked up 0.1% and the pound wavered between gains and losses against the U.S. dollar. Investors are watching developments closely before U.K. lawmakers vote at the weekend on a a draft Brexit agreement struck with the European Union. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to muster enough support for the deal.
French auto maker Renault was the biggest loser in Europe, declining 13% after cutting its full-year revenue and operating-margin guidance on a sales slump outside Europe and higher costs from developing lower-emissions car models.
French food giant Danone dropped 6.9% after it lowered expectations for its like-for-like sales growth in 2019.
Later in the day, investors may get fresh clues on potential U.S. central bank activity when Federal Reserve officials including Robert Kaplan and Richard Clarida make speeches. Earnings from American Express and Coca-Cola are also on tap.
Regards,
Ted
WSJ:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-stocks-slide-after-economic-growth-cools-11571389552Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-17/asia-stocks-set-for-mixed-open-before-china-data-markets-wrap?srnd=premiumIBD:
https://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/dow-jones-futures-stock-market-rally-faces-test-apple-stock-atlassian-intuitive-surgical/CNBC::
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/stock-market-wall-street-in-focus-amid-corporate-earnings.htmlReuters:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets/shares-slip-on-weak-china-growth-dollar-suffers-weekly-mauling-idUKKBN1WX03JU.K.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-stocks/ftse-250-up-ahead-of-brexit-deal-vote-miners-hit-by-dismal-china-gdp-idUKKBN1WX0QOEurope:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-stocks/renault-sales-warning-drags-on-european-shares-idUSKBN1WX0PSAsia:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-mixed-after-decades-worst-gdp-growth-by-china-2019-10-17/printBonds:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/treasury-yields-tick-higher-as-investors-digest-china-data-brexit-developments.htmlCurrencies:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/forex-markets-brexit-deal-chinas-economy-in-focus.htmlOil:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/oil-markets-chinas-economy-in-focus.htmlGold:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/gold-markets-brexit-deal-in-focus.htmlCuirrent Futures:
https://finviz.com/futures.ashx 
