Friday Watch

Evening Headlines

Bloomberg:

• Easing China’s Housing Bubble Has Unintended Side Effects. In China’s two-speed property market, prescriptions for deflating big-city bubbles are having unintended side-effects in smaller towns. Soaring prices in megacities Beijing and Shanghai both snapped 20 months of gains in November after authorities tightened restrictions to reduce excessive speculation. Meanwhile, real estate in the northwestern rust belt cities of Jilin and Harbin also declined, posting their first drops in four months. Signs that prices stopped rising is good news for major cities as it shows policies are having the desired effect, but they’re less welcome in smaller towns still battling to fill millions of empty homes that weigh on prices. That disparity poses a new challenge for policy makers just as they pledge to ensure stability and step up the fight against speculation.
• Scissors: U.S. Will Win Trade War With China. (video)
• Why China's Maritime Disputes Could Lead to War. (video)
• Japan Wants Its "Overworked" Citizens to Start Weekends Early. Government wants 3pm clock-off on last Friday of each month.
• Euro Climbs Along With Oil as Japan Stocks Decline. Japan’s Topix fell 0.6 percent and is set for a 2.4 percent decline in 2016. The Nikkei 225 index was down 0.7 percent on Friday. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index dropped 0.5 percent, while New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 was off by 0.2 percent. FTSE China A50 futures gained 0.3 percent, as did futures for Korea’s Kospi gauge. Hang Seng Index futures slid 0.1 percent in most recent trading.
• Get Set for the Year Ahead: Here’s Your QuickTake Guide to Navigating 2017.
• Tillerson Climate-Change Testimony Set Before Trump Sworn In. Lawyers for teenagers claiming the U.S. government failed to protect the environment from global warming plan to question under oath President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state on his knowledge of climate change.

Wall Street Journal:

• U.S. Sanctions Russia Over Election Hacking; Russia Threatens to Retaliate. Sanctions follow U.S. assessment Russia used cyberattacks to interfere with election.
• Syrian Rebel Group Rejects Cease-Fire Hours Before Its Start. Fragile truce engineered by Russia and Turkey goes into effect but is already thrown into doubt.
• Snap’s IPO Roadshow Message: We’re the Next Facebook, Not the Next Twitter. Virtual-messaging service’s pitch designed to convince investors that platform can evolve into a content powerhouse.
• The VA Hooked Veterans on Opioids, Then Failed Them Again.
• The War on Israel Never Ends. Settlements aren’t the issue. Many of the Jewish state’s enemies don’t even believe in its right to exist.

Fox News:

• Obama orders sanctions against Russia, expels operatives, in response to hacking. (video)
• Best pictures of the year.

Zero Hedge:

• Mainstream Media Is Now Whining About The "Fake News" Hysteria It Created.
• Trump Responds To Obama's Russian Sanctions: "Time To Move On".
• Central Bankers Are Losing Faith In Their Own Alchemy.
• Anthony Bourdain Slams "Privileged" Liberals For Their "Utter Contempt" Of Working-Class America.
• GWU Eliminates U.S. History As A Requirement For History Majors.
• Obama's Vacation Costs Expected To Top $90 Million Over 8 Years.
• Inside Another Record-Setting Streak For The S&P 500.
• 3 Things: Records Are Records For A Reason. (graph)
• Bonds & Bullion Bounce But Banks Bruised As Dollar Dumps. (graph)

Business Insider:

• Russia responds to US sanctions: 'If Washington takes new hostile steps, it will receive an answer'.
• Russia expert: New US sanctions 'clearly meant to throw a wrench into' Trump's dealings with Moscow.
• Homebuyers are feeling the heat as mortgage rates rise.

Night Trading 

• Asian equity indices are -.50% to -.50% on average.
• Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 121.75 +.5 basis point.
• Asia Pacific Sovereign CDS Index 37.75 unch.
• Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 69.97 +.26%. 
• S&P 500 futures +.04%. 
• NASDAQ 100 futures +.08%.

Morning Preview Links

Earnings of Note
Company/Estimate

• None of note

Economic Releases
9:45 am EST

• Chicago Purchasing Manager for December is estimated to fall to 57.0 versus 57.6 in November.     

Upcoming Splits 

• None of note

Other Potential Market Movers

• The China Current Account Balance report could also impact trading today.

BOTTOM LINE:  Asian indices are mostly lower, weighed down by industrial and financial shares in the region. I expect US stocks to open mixed and to weaken into the afternoon, finishing modestly lower. The Portfolio is 50% net long heading into the day.