Overnight Markets And News

Sep E-mini S&Ps (ESU18 +0.46%) this morning are up +0.57% and European stocks are up +0.53% on signs of a thaw in China/U.S. trade tensions after China announced that Vice Commerce Minister Shouwen will lead a delegation to the U.S. later this month for trade talks. Also, a 6% jump in Walmart in pre-market trading is giving the overall market a lift after Walmart raised its full-year earnings forecast. Another positive for stocks is the rally in the Turkish lira by more than 2% against the dollar, its third day of gains. Asian stocks settled lower: Japan -0.05%, Hong Kong -0.82%, China -0.66%, Taiwan -0.31%, Australia -0.01%, Singapore -0.69%, South Korea -0.98%, India -0.50%. Asian equity markets were undercut by losses in technology stocks, led by a 5% decline in Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings, which sent the Shanghai Composite down to its lowest in 2-1/3 years. Tencent sold-off after it reported its first profit decline in more than a decade.

The dollar index (DXY00 -0.12%) is down -0.06%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD +0.25%) is up +0.24%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY +0.13%) is up +0.14%.

Sep 10-year T-note prices (ZNU18 -0-060) are down -8.5 ticks.

China Jul foreign direct investment rose +14.9% y/y, the largest increase in 8 months.

UK Jul retail sales ex auto fuel rose +0.9% m/m, stronger than expectations of no change. Jul retail sales including auto fuel rose +0.7% m/m, stronger than expectations of +0.2% m/m.

The Japan Jul trade balance was in deficit by -231.2 billion yen, wider than expectations of -41.2 billion yen. Jul exports rose +3.9% y/y, weaker than expectations of +6.3% y/y. Jul imports rose +14.6% y/y, stronger than expectations of +14.2% y/y and the largest increase in 5-months.

U.S. Stock Preview

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) weekly initial unemployment claims (expected +2,000 to 215,000, previous -6,000 to 213,000) and continuing claims (expected -15,000 to 1.740 million, previous +29,000 to 1.755 million), (2) Aug Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey general conditions index (expected -3.7 to 22.0, Jul +5.8 to 25.7), (3) Jul housing starts (expected +7.4% to 1.260 million, Jun -12.3% to 1.173 million), (4) USDA weekly Export Sales, (5) Treasury announces amount of 5-year TIPS to be auctioned Aug 23.

Notable Russell 2000 earnings reports today include: Walmart (consensus $1.22), Nordstrom (0.85), Applied Materials (1.17), NVIDIA (1.85), Williams-Sonoma (0.68), Madison-Square Garden (-2.00).

U.S. IPO's scheduled to price today: none.

Equity conferences during the remainder of this week: D&H Technology Conference 2018 on Thu.

Market Comments

Sep S&P 500 E-minis (ESU18 +0.46%) this morning are up +16.00 points (+0.57%). Wednesday's closes: S&P 500 -0.76%, Dow Jones -0.54%, Nasdaq 100 -1.24%. The S&P 500 on Wednesday sold off to a 1-1/2 week low and closed lower on negative carry-over from a slide in European and Chinese stocks on concern that the financial turmoil in Turkey and China/U.S. trade tensions will derail economic growth. There was also weakness in mining stocks and raw-material producers after copper prices fell -4.55% to a 13-3/4 month low. Energy stocks were undercut by the -3.03% drop in crude oil prices to a 1-3/4 month low. Stocks found support on the positive U.S. Jul retail sales report of +0.5% and +0.6% ex autos, stronger than expectations of +0.1% and +0.3% ex autos.

Sep 10-year T-notes (ZNU18 -0-060) this morning are down -8.5 ticks. Wednesday's closes: TYU8 +10.50, FVU8 +6.00. Sep 10-year T-notes on Wednesday rose to a 1-1/4 month high and closed higher on the the slump in the S&P 500 to a 1-1/2 week low and on the unexpected -0.9% decline in U.S. Q2 unit labor costs, weaker than expectations of unch and the biggest decline in 3-1/2 years. T-note prices were also supported by a decline in inflation expectations after the 10-year T-note breakeven inflation rate fell to a 3-week low.

The dollar index (DXY00 -0.12%) this morning is down -0.058 (-0.06%). EUR/USD (^EURUSD +0.25%) is up +0.0027 (+0.24%). USD/JPY (^USDJPY +0.13%) is up +0.16 (+0.14%). Wednesday's closes: Dollar Index -0.035 (-0.04%), EUR/USD +0.0001 (+0.01%), USD/JPY -0.41 (-0.37%). The dollar index on Wednesday rose to a new 13-1/2 month high but fell back and closed little changed. The dollar was undercut by the decline in the 10-year T-note yield to a 3-week low, which reduced the dollar's interest rate differentials, and by Qatar's promise to invest $15 billion in Turkey, which pushed the Turkish real up more than 5% against the dollar. The dollar found support on the much stronger than expected U.S. Jul retail sales report of +0.5%, which bolsters the case for Fed tightening.

Metals this morning are higher with Dec gold (GCZ18 +0.24%) +1.2 (+0.10%), Sep silver (SIU18 +1.15%) +0.136 (+0.94%) and Sep copper (HGU18 +1.76%) +0.049 (+1.91%). Wednesday's closes: Dec gold -15.7 (-1.31%), Sep silver -0.599 (-3.98%), Sep copper -0.1220 (-4.55%). Metals on Wednesday sold off with Dec gold at a 1-1/2 year low, Sep silver at a 2-1/2 year low and Sep copper at a 13-3/4 month low. Metals prices were undercut by the rally in the dollar index to a 13-1/2 month high and by concern the financial turmoil in Turkey and the ongoing China/U.S. trade spat will lead to slower global growth and weaker industrial metals demand. Copper prices were undercut by news that LME copper inventories rose +2,755 MT to a 4-week high of 257,635.

Sep WTI crude oil (CLU18 +0.20%) this morning is up +5 cents (+0.08%). Sep gasoline (RBU18 -0.45%) is -1.07 cents (-0.54%). Wednesday's closes: Sep crude oil -2.03 (-3.03%), Sep gasoline -3.67 (-1.80%). Sep crude oil and gasoline on Wednesday sold off sharply with Sep crude at a 1-3/4 month low. Crude oil prices were undercut by the rally in the dollar index to a 13-1/2 month high and by the unexpected +6.81 million bbl increase in EIA crude inventories (more than expectations for a -2.5 million bbl draw).

Overnight U.S. Stock Movers

Walmart (WMT -0.69%) jumped more than 6% in pre-market trading after it raised its full=year adjusted EPS forecast es-Flipkart to $4.90 to $5.05 from a February view of $4.75 to $5.00, and said it sees full-year net sales up +2.0% in constant currency from a prior forecast of +1.5%-2.0%

United Technologies (UTX -0.51%) was rated a new 'Buy' at UBS with a price target of $160.

Stryker (SYK +0.34%) was rate da new 'Buy' at BTIG with a price target of $187

Conn's (CONN -4.38%) was rated a new 'Buy' at Jefferies with a price target of $44.

Illumina (ILMN -0.71%) lost 2% in after-hours trading after it said it will offer $650 million convertible senior notes due 2023.

NetApp (NTAP -0.35%) gained more than 1% in after-hours trading after it reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $1.04, well above consensus of 80 cents, and then forecast Q2 adjusted EPS of 94 cents to $1.00, the midpoint right on consensus of 97 cents.

Cisco Systems (CSCO -0.32%) climbed more than 5% in after-hours trading after it forecast Q1 revenue would gain 5% to 7%, higher than consensus of +3.7%.

Healthcare Realty Trust (HR +2.01%) was downgraded to 'Equal-Weight' from 'Overweight' at Morgan Stanley with a price target of $28.

Global Net Lease (GNL +0.05%) lost nearly 4% in after-hours trading after it announced the launch of an underwritten public offering of 4 million shares of its common stock.

Briggs & Stratton (BGG -0.70%) rose almost 4% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 net sales of $502 million, better than consensus of $495.7 million.

SpartanNash (SPTN -1.00%) tumbled nearly 10% in after-hours trading after it reported Q2 adjusted EPS from continuing operations of 50 cents, below consensus of 56 cents, and then forecast full-year adjusted EPS from continuing operations of $1.96 to $2.08, weaker than consensus of $2.25.

Lifevantage (LFVN -5.42%) jumped 6% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 revenue of $54 million, up +7% y/y, and said that Q4 adjusted Ebitda increased 59% y/y to $5.2 million.

HTG Molecular Diagnostics (HTGM -1.49%) climbed almost 5% in after-hours trading after it delivered its first orders of its HTG EdgeSeq Precision Immuno-Oncology Panel.