The Breakfast Briefing: US Futures Point To Slightly Higher Open, European Stocks Off to Weak Start

Ted

FYI: U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher Monday morning, as investors prepared for the busiest week of earnings season.

Around 6:30 a.m. ET, Dow futures indicated a positive open of nearly 70 points. Futures on the S&P and Nasdaq were both slightly higher.

Market focus is largely attuned to global trade developments after U.S. and Chinese officials said they were “close to finalizing” some parts of a trade agreement. The world’s two largest economies have imposed tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of one another’s goods since the start of 2018, battering financial markets and souring business and consumer sentiment.

European stocks wavered Monday as investors wait to see if U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will succeed in his call for general elections.

The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 index drifted down 0.2%, led lower by banks. HSBC HSBC 0.15% Holdings was the biggest loser in Europe, shedding 4% after the bank dropped its main financial target and said it would speed up plans to revamp its U.K., U.S. and European businesses.

he U.K.’s FTSE 100 gauge dropped 0.3% as Mr. Johnson urged lawmakers to support his push for a Dec. 12 general election as a way to clear a path to Brexit. EU leaders agreed to a three-month extension to the Brexit deadline, extending the political uncertainty until Jan. 31. The British pound was mostly flat against the dollar.

Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.2%.

The yield on 10-year Italian government debt rose to 0.991% from 0.948% Friday following preliminary results from local elections this weekend. The results will allow center-right political leaders to campaign against the current administration in a bid to boost their popularity, according to analysts at UniCredit. The FTSE MIB index for Italian equities fell 0.2%.

Asian markets had a stronger start to the week. The Shanghai Composite Index gained almost 0.9% and Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index gained 0.8%.

The yield on 10-year Treasurys rose to 1.826%, its highest level since mid-September as investors, anticipate the Federal Reserve will deliver another 25 basis point cut.

Regards,
Ted

WSJ:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-stocks-off-to-weak-start-amid-brexit-uncertainty-11572256781

Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-27/stocks-in-asia-to-rise-as-u-s-flirts-with-record-markets-wrap?srnd=premium

IBD:
https://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/dow-jones-futures-apple-stock-market-rally-test-microsoft-wins-jedi-duel-with-amazon/

CNBC::
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/28/stock-market-investors-monitor-busiest-week-of-earnings-season.html

Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests/hong-kong-enters-recession-as-street-protests-erupt-in-flames-idUSKBN1X706F

U.K.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-stocks/hsbc-update-sparks-selloff-in-uk-banks-drags-ftse-100-lower-idUKKBN1X70O8

Europe:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-stocks/hsbc-pulls-european-shares-lower-luxury-stocks-in-focus-idUSKBN1X70OI

Asia:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-stocks-rise-ahead-of-a-busy-week-for-markets-2019-10-27/print

Bonds:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/25/bond-markets-investors-await-corporate-earnings-economic-data.html

Currencies:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/28/oil-markets-chinas-economy-in-focus.html

Oil:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/28/oil-markets-chinas-economy-in-focus.html

Gold:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/28/gold-markets-us-federal-reserve-in-focus.html

Cuirrent Futures:
https://finviz.com/futures.ashx

Ted

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Old_Joe

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ THIS POST IS IN VIOLATION OF MFO POSTING STANDARDS ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

⇒ This post had only 13 views and no comments. It has been artificially "bumped" into the COMMENTS + CATEGORY by the poster himself, without legitimate qualifying comments.

The MFO administrators have repeatedly requested this poster to observe the MFO posting standards. His refusal to honor those requests indicates his lack of respect for those standards, MFO members, and management.

Old_Skeet

I generally view this post each morning. I'll now start posting my appreciation to Ted each and every morning that I open it. Thanks again @Ted. It is much appreciated. I'm also thinking that this post should be allowed as an ongoing exception since has been posted daily now for sometime.

hank

@ Old_Skeet,

I’m glad you find this particular thread useful each morning. I think @Old_Joe ‘s point, which I agree with, is that Ted’s morning brief should remain in the Discussions segment of the board along with his other 25-50 daily posts until another member comments on it.

As I understand the rules @DavidSnowball has established, only those threads that have received comment from other board members shall be moved from the Discussions section of the forum into the Discussions+ section. I think it’s a great rule. Ted is flaunting that rule and working to defeat its purpose when he “self-bumps” his own posts into the Discussions+ area.

Since you (and likely many others) find the thread useful, what’s the problem with your continuing to access it every morning in the Discussions area? What difference does it make if all you want to do is to read it? And should you find occasion to add a pertinent comment to Ted’s substantial body of information, than please add such comment. That will automatically bump it over to the Discussions+ section. I for one read everything you post and would delight in reading your usually well informed insights related to Ted’s lengthy list of stories every morning. You could perhaps “fine-tune” the thread so those of us without hours to spend reading all the articles would be aware which readings you found particularly useful.

But as for individual members deciding on their own that what they submitted is somehow more relevant or important than what other members submitted - and giving their own posts a self-bump - I beg to disagree.

Old_Skeet

@hank and others.

I like to find favor in folks for the good they bring to the board rather than hit on them for their short comings.

For sure, I don't read everything that Ted puts up. But, once in a while I find a real gem among his many postings that offers me some meaningful information.

I'm thinking we are better off letting Ted have some latitude. I remember when he was sick and away from the board a few years back and the board suffered for his lack of posting daily reading material.

And, yes ... Ted's many rapid fire post has bothered me, at times, especially when I've made a post in the morning just to have Ted cover mine up with his onslaught of many rapid fire post. Please know, though, I'm also thankful for those that have made comment on my post bummping it back to the front of the stack. Even with this, I also feel, Ted is within his rights to put up as many post as he wishes as long as they are germaine to the board.

So ... Why don't we let David decide if he wishes to take Ted to the woodshed over this?

Respectfully,

Old_Skeet

Old_Skeet

In addition, I have been providing weekly updates under a thread I started regarding my market barometer. If I understand correctly ... from reading what Old_Joe wrote ... I can not update my thread weekly and bring it back to the front of the stack unless a responding comment has been made on my updated comment. Therefore ... if this is so ... then this kills my update comments and the thread itself unless comments are made by others for each and every update comment I make.

With this I now ponder on how to govern.

I'm thinking that to be in strick compliance of the rules of posting ... with no following comments ... no updates.

Old_Skeet

Seems, this comment does not meet the strick posting standard as it follows one of my own comments.