Wednesday Watch

Evening Headlines

Bloomberg:  

• China Sees U.S. Delaying Dec. 15 Tariffs as Talks Continue.    

• Jitters Over China’s Local Defaults Start to Spread Offshore.

• South Korea Unemployment Unexpectedly Edges Up For a Third Month.

• The Emerging Market Rebound Looks Set to Stretch Into 2020. 

• Trump’s Nafta Rewrite Gets Signoffs; Senate to Vote in 2020.

• Stocks Dip in Asia on U.S. Tariff-Hike Concern: Markets Wrap. Asian stocks dipped along with U.S. futures amid concern that an American tariff hike on Chinese imports scheduled for Sunday could still go ahead, despite reports on progress in trade talks. After another lackluster open for trading Wednesday, benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul saw modest declines after White House adviser Peter Navarro cited no indication that the tariff hike will be averted. The yuan edged lower in offshore trading, though moves remain muted as traders await decisive signs on the U.S.-China trade front. Treasuries ticked higher, with investors also awaiting the Federal Reserve’s final policy decision of the year. Crude oil retreated. Topix index fell 0.2% as of 9:55 a.m. in Tokyo. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.2%. South Korea’s Kospi index was down 0.1%. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.1%. The S&P 500 Index fell 0.2%.

• Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day.

• Soft Landing, China Growth Target, Tariff Deal Close: Eco Day.

• Traders Buy Hedges ‘Like World Is About to End’.

• Trump Barred From Building Border Wall With Military Funds.

Wall Street Journal:

• New York Life in Talks to Buy Cigna Unit for Up to $6 Billion.

• FBI Spying Ruined My Good Name.

• Students, Community Groups Sue University of California to Drop SAT, ACT.

• Chevron, Facing Fossil Fuels Glut, Takes $10 Billion Charge.

• U.S. and Chinese Negotiators Planning for Delay of Tariffs.

• Health Care Joins Brexit as Big Issue in U.K. Election.

Fox News:

• WATCH LIVE: Trump, at Pennsylvania rally, says 'stupid' impeachment indirectly led to USMCA deal.

• Ex-independent counsel 'aghast' to learn extent of Obama AG's involvement.

• Shootout in Jersey City leaves 6 dead, including police officer; others hurt.

MarketWatch.com:  

• The stock market will ‘breathe a sigh of relief’ if Trump is re-elected, says billionaire Howard Marks.

• Top stock picks for 2020: The best of the biggest.

• S&P 500 earnings upside in 2020 will ‘primarily depend’ on U.S.-China trade deal, says JP Morgan.

CNBC:

• Goldman Sachs(GS) president says US economy could be ‘accelerating again’ after 2019 lull.

• Google(GOOG) snaps up chief medical officer of health device maker AliveCor, weeks after buying Fitbit.

• Jeffrey Gundlach says long-term rates headed higher as recession risks recede.

• The Fed is expected to hold rates steady and vow to keep short-term lending markets stable.

• Americans spend more than $72 billion on pets—here’s how dogs and cats became big business.

• Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: GameStop, Dropbox, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet & more.

• Wall Street bull Tony Dwyer boosts 2020 forecast, cites Fed policy as major driver.

Zero Hedge:

• "Unprecedented" China Auto Market Collapse Heads Into Third Year After November Sales Drop 4.2%.

• University Departments Ditch Genderless-Term "Alumni"... For Genderless-Term "Alumnx".

• Yuan Tumbles After Navarro Warns "No Indication That Tariffs Will Be Delayed".

• Meat Prices Spike 8% In Brazil, Threatening A Holiday-Gathering Mainstay For Many.

• Exposing The Promoters Of Climate Anxiety.

• 'Schiff Memo' Debunked By IG Report; Nunes Vindicated.

• Traders On Tenterhooks As Banks Delay Bonus Decisions Into New Year.

• WTI Slips From 12-Week Highs After Surprise Crude Inventory Build.

• Stocks, Bonds, & Dollar Stumble As Traders Reach 'Peak FOMO'.

Business Insider:

• A look at the most valuable tech companies from 10 years ago shows how much has changed — and that Microsoft and Apple still dominate.

• The 11 most shocking retail acquisitions of the last decade.

Night Trading 

• Asian equity indices are -.25% to +.25% on average.

• Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 64.0 unch.

• China Sovereign CDS 38.5 -.25 basis point.

• Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index  65.67 -.01%.

• FTSE 100 futures -.01%.

• S&P 500 futures -.15%.

• NASDAQ 100 futures -.18%.

Morning Preview Links

Earnings of Note 
Company/Estimate

Before the Open:

• (AEO)/.48

• (PLCE)/3.02

• (UNFI)/.27

• (VRA)/.18

After the Close:

• (LULU)/.93

• (OXM)/.08

• (NX)/.38

Economic Releases 
8:30 am EST

• The CPI MoM for Nov. is estimated to rise +.2% versus a +.4% gain in Oct.

• The CPI Ex Food & Energy MoM for Nov. is estimated to rise +.2% versus a +.2% gain in Oct. 

• Real Avg. Weekly Earnings YoY for Nov.

10:30 am EST

• Bloomberg consensus estimates call for a weekly crude oil inventory decline of -2,924,180 barrels versus a -4,856,000 barrel decline the prior week. Gasoline supplies are estimated to rise by +2,534,900 barrels versus a +3,385,000 barrel gain the prior week.  Distillate inventories are estimated to rise by +1,563,600 barrels versus a +3,063,000 barrel gain the prior week.
  

2:00 pm EST

• The FOMC is expected to leave the benchmark Fed Funds Rate at 1.5-1.75%.

•  The Monthly Budget Deficit for Nov. is estimated at -$206.2B versus -$134.5B in Oct.
  

Upcoming Splits

• None of note

Other Potential Market Movers

• The FOMC press conference, UK elections, weekly MBA Mortgage Applications report, Barclays Tech/Media/Telecom Conference, (AWK) investor day, (HD) investor conference, (SWI) investor day and the (CS) investor day could also impact trading today.

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are mostly higher, booseted by industrial and technology shares in the region. I expect US stocks to open modestly lower and to rally into the afternoon, finishing mixed. The Portfolio is 75% net long heading into the day.