Live Index – Tue, 25 Mar 2014 Premarket

Tue Mar 25 2014
Live Index (1420 articles)

PREMARKET WORLD NEWS

June E-mini S&Ps (ESM14 +0.32%) this morning are up +0.20% and European stocks are up +0.85% ahead of U.S. data later today on consumer confidence, home prices and new home sales. Gains in European stocks were muted after a gauge of German investor confidence fell for the first time in five months. Asian stocks closed mostly lower: Japan -0.36%, Hong Kong -0.52%. China -0.10%, Taiwan +0.98%, Australia -0.19%, Singapore -0.25%, South Korea -0.30%, India closed for holiday. China’s Shanghai Stock Index rose to a 1-month high on speculation the Chinese government will take steps to support economic growth. Commodity prices are mixed. May crude oil (CLK14 +0.57%) is up +0.37%. May gasoline (RBK14 +0.48%) is up +0.44%. Apr gold (GCJ14 +0.28%) is up +0.34%. May copper (HGK14 +1.49%) is up +1.46%. Agriculture and livestock prices are weaker. The dollar index (DXY00 +0.15%) is up +0.10%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.16%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.02%. June T-note prices (ZNM14 unch) are up +1.5 ticks.

The German Mar IFO business climate fell -0.6 to 110.7, a bigger decline than expectations of -0.4 to 110.9. The Mar IFO current assessment rose +0.8 to 115.2, a bigger increase than expectations of +0.1 to 114.5 and the highest in 1-3/4 years. Mar IFO expectations fell -1.9 to 106.4, a bigger decline than expectations of -0.6 to 107.7.

UK Feb CPI rose +0.5% m/m and +1.7% y/y, right on expectations, with the +1.7% y/y increase the smallest annual gain in 4-1/3 years. Feb core CPI gained +1.7% y/y, higher than expectations of unch at +1.6 y/y.

UK Feb RPI rose +0.6% m/m and +2.7% y/y, higher than expectations of +0.5% m/m and +2.6% y/y. Feb RPI ex-mortgage interest payments rose +2.7% y/y, higher than expectations of +2.6% y/y.

UK Feb PPI input prices fell -0.4% m/m and -5.7% y/y, bigger declines than expectations of +0.3% m/m and -5.3% y/y, with the -5.7% y/y decline the largest annual fall in 4-1/3 years.

UK Feb PPI output prices were unch m/m and +0.5% y/y, less than expectations of +0.2% m/m and +0.7% y/y. Feb PPI output core prices rose +0.1% m/m and +1.1% y/y, close to expectations of unch m/m and +1.1% y/y.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Today’s Feb new home sales report is expected to show a decline of -4.9% to 445,000, reversing part of January’s surprise +9.6% increase to a 5-1/2 year high of 468,000. Today’s Jan CaseShiller composite-20 home price index report is expected to show an increase of +0.6% m/m while the Jan FHFA house price index report is expected to show an increase of +0.5% m/m. Today’s March U.S. consumer confidence index from the Conference Board is expected to show a +0.4 point increase to 78.5, reversing part of the -1.3 point drop to 78.1 seen in February. Today’s March Richmond Fed manufacturing index is expected to show a +10 point increase to 4, reversing more than one-half of the sharp -18 point drop to -6 seen in February.

There are 5 of the Russell 1000 companies report earnings today: Carnival (consensus -0.08), McCormick (0.58), HD Supply (-0.03), Walgreen (0.93), PVH Corp (1.42). Equity conferences during the remainder of this week include: Barclays Emerging Payments Forum on Mon-Tue, TAG Spring Consumer Conference on Tue, Gastech Conference & Exhibition on Mon-Wed, BB&T Capital Markets Commercial & Industrial Conference on Wed, CIBC Retail and Consumer Conference on Wed, JPMorgan Insurance Conference on Wed, Oracle Storage Summit New York on Wed, Jefferies Animal Health Day on Thu, and Jefferies Animal Health Day on Thu

PREMARKET U.S. STOCKS

BofA/Merrill added CSX (CSX -0.24%) to its top stock pick list for 2014.

Walgreens (WAG -0.68%) reported Q2 adjusted EPS of 91 cents, below consensus of 93 cents.

AT&T (T +0.47%) was downgraded to ‘Neutral’ from ‘Overweight’ at HSBC.

The NYT reports that General Motors (GM +0.37%) told its customers and families of accident victims that it did not have sufficient evidence to determine that there were defects in its cars, even after the company had definitive evidence of such a defect.

Arch Coal (ACI +3.08%) was downgraded to ‘Hold’ from ‘Buy’ at Jefferies.

Navistar (NAV +0.06%) was downgraded to ‘Neutral’ from ‘Buy’ at UBS.

KBR (KBR -0.98%) was downgraded to ‘Neutral’ from ‘Buy’ at Goldman Sachs.

Domtar (UFS +0.08%) was upgraded to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ at Goldman Sachs.

RealD (RLD -3.39%) and Wanda Cinema Line Corporation announced an extended agreement to install an additional 780 RealD 3D Cinema Systems in China.

Integrated Core Strategies reported a 6% passive stake in Stone Energy (SGY +0.08%) .

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating on Brazil to ‘BBB-‘ from ‘BBB’ with a stable outlook on its long-term credit rating.

PL Capital reported a 5.2% stake in Metro Bancorp (METR +0.98%) .

Disney (DIS -1.07%) has agreed to acquire Maker Studios for $ 500 million.

BioMarin (BMRN -0.30%) was downgraded to ‘Neutral’ from ‘Buy’ at Goldman.

Blackstone Holdings I reported a 6% passive stake in Ardmore Shipping (ASC -1.77%) .

MARKET COMMENTS

June E-mini S&Ps (ESM14 +0.32%) this morning are up +3.75 points (+0.20%). The S&P 500 on Monday closed lower. Bearish factors included (1) the China Mar HSBC manufacturing PMI that unexpectedly weakened for the fifth straight month as it fell by -0.4 to an 8-month low of 48.1, weaker than expectations of +0.2 to 48.7, and (2) concern the Ukraine crisis may escalate after Ukraine’s foreign minister said the risk of war is growing as Russia continues to mass troops along the Ukraine border. Closes: S&P 500 -0.49%, Dow Jones -0.16%, Nasdaq -0.98%.

Jun 10-year T-notes (ZNM14 unch) this morning are up +1.5 ticks. Jun 10-year T-note futures prices on Monday closed lower. Bearish factors included (1) supply pressures with $ 109 billion T-notes to be auctioned this week, and (2) negative carry-over from Fed Chair Yellen’s indication last Wednesday that the funds rate might be raised as soon as spring 2015. Closes: TYM4 -1.00, FVM4 -3.00.

The dollar index (DXY00 +0.15%) this morning is up +0.079 (+0.10%). EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.0022 (-0.16%). USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.02 (+0.02%). The dollar index on Monday closed lower. EUR/USD recovered from early losses and closed higher after the Bundesbank stated in its monthly report said that it sees a “substantial strengthening of the overall pace of economic expansion” in Q1 German economic growth. Closes: Dollar index -0.171 (-0.21%), EUR/USD +0.00461 (+0.33%), USD/JPY +0.004 (+0.01%).

May WTI crude oil (CLK14 +0.57%) this morning is up 37 cents (+0.37%) and May gasoline (RBK14 +0.48%) is up +0.0128 (+0.44%). May crude and gasoline prices on Monday settled mixed. Crude oil prices rose on concern that the closure of the Houston Ship Canal since Saturday due to an oil spill will disrupt refinery operations and lead to reduced production at refineries along the Gulf Coast. Bearish factors included global demand concerns after the Chinese manufacturing PMI fell to an 8-month low and the German manufacturing PMI slipped to its slowest pace in 4 months. Closes: CLK4 +0.14 (+0.14%). RBK4 -0.0139 (-0.48%).

GLOBAL EVENT CALENDAR03/25/2014
US0900 ETJan S&P/CaseShiller composite-20 home price index expected +0.60% m/m and +13.34% y/y, Dec +0.76% m/m and +13.42% y/y.
0900 ETJan FHFA house price index expected +0.5% m/m, Dec +0.8% m/m.
1000 ETMarch U.S. consumer confidence (Conference Board) expected +0.4 to 78.5, Feb -1.3 to 78.1.
1000 ETMar Richmond Fed manufacturing index expected +10 to 4, Feb -18 to -6.
1000 ETFeb new home sales expected -4.9% to 445,000, Jan +9.6% to 468,000.
1300 ETTreasury auctions $ 32 billion 2-year T-notes.
1600 ETAtlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart speaks on the economic outlook at the Rutberg Global Summit.
1900 ETPhiladelphia Fed President Charles Plosser speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy to the Money Marketeers of NYU.
GER0500 ETGerman Mar IFO business climate expected -0.4 to 110.9, Feb 111.3. Mar IFO current assessment expected +0.1 to 114.5, Feb 114.4. Mar IFO expectations expected -0.6 to 107.7, Feb 108.3.
UK0530 ETUK Feb CPI expected +0.5% m/m and +1.7% y/y, Jan -0.6% m/m and +1.9% y/y. Feb core CPI expected +1.6% y/y, Jan +1.6% y/y.
0530 ETUK Feb RPI expected +0.5% m/m and +2.6% y/y, Jan -0.3% m/m and +2.8% y/y. Feb RPI ex mortgage interest payments expected +2.6% y/y, Jan +2.8% y/y.
0530 ETUK Feb PPI input prices expected +0.3% m/m and -5.3% y/y, Jan -0.9% m/m and -3.1% y/y.
0530 ETUK Feb PPI output prices expected +0.2% m/m and +0.7% y/y, Jan +0.3% m/m and +0.9% y/y. Feb PPI output core expected unch m/m and +1.0% y/y, Jan +0.5% m/m and +1.2% y/y.
0700 ETUK Mar CBI reported sales expected -9 to 28, Feb 37.
EUR1200 ETECB President Mario Draghi gives a lecture in Paris.
JPN1950 ETJapan Feb corporate service price index expected +0.8% y/y, Jan +0.8% y/y.
U.S. STOCK CALENDAR03/25/2014
Company NameTickerTimeEvent DescriptionPeriodEstimate
Carnival CorpCCL USBef-mktQ1 2014 Earnings ReleaseQ1 2014-0.083
McCormick & Co Inc/MDMKC USBef-mktQ1 2014 Earnings ReleaseQ1 20140.579
HD Supply Holdings IncHDS US6:00Q4 2014 Earnings ReleaseQ4 2014-0.029
Walgreen CoWAG US7:30Q2 2014 Earnings ReleaseQ2 20140.932
McCormick & Co Inc/MDMKC US8:00Q1 2014 Earnings CallQ1 2014
HD Supply Holdings IncHDS US8:00Q4 2014 Earnings CallQ4 2014
Walgreen CoWAG US8:30Q2 2014 Earnings CallQ2 2014
Akamai Technologies IncAKAM US8:30Investor MeetingY 2014
L-3 Communications Holdings IncLLL US9:00Investor ConferenceY 2014
Carnival CorpCCL US10:00Q1 2014 Earnings CallQ1 2014
Panera Bread CoPNRA US10:30Investor DayY 2014
Beam IncBEAM US12:00Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting – M&A VoteY 2014
NVIDIA CorpNVDA US12:00Investor DayY 2014
Adobe Systems IncADBE US17:00Financial Analyst BriefingY 2014
PVH CorpPVH USAft-mktQ4 2014 Earnings ReleaseQ4 20141.42
Equifax IncEFX USInvestor Meeting – BostonY 2014
Xcel Energy IncXEL USInvestors Meeting – Day 1Y 2014
General Motors CoGM USGM Recall Documentation Submittal to US House Energy & Commerce Committee
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