Thursday Watch

Night Trading 

• Asian equity indices are +.25% to +1.25% on average.

• Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 59.5 -.75 basis point.

• China Sovereign CDS 30.25 -1.0 basis point.

• Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 61.59 +.08%.
• Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk Off Index 3,034.0 +25.0 points.
• Volatility Index(VIX) futures 22.9 -.66%.
• FTSE 100 futures +.55%.

• S&P 500 futures +.33%.

• NASDAQ 100 futures +.50%.

Morning Preview Links

Earnings of Note 
Company/Estimate 

 

Before the Open: 

• (ACN)/1.90
• (CSIQ)/-.58
• (CMC)/.61
• (DG)/2.72
• (GIII)/.22
• (SIG)/3.54
• (TITN)/.13
• (WB)/.70
  

After the Close:

• (FDX)/3.25
• (NKE)/.75
• (OLLI)/.85
  

Economic Releases

8:30 am EST

• Initial Jobless Claims for last week are estimated to fall to 700K versus 712K the prior week.
• Continuing Claims are estimated to fall to 4034K versus 4144K prior.
• The Philly Fed Business Outlook Index for March is estimated to rise to 23.3 versus 23.1 in Feb.
  

10:00 am EST

• The Leading Index for Feb. is estimated to rise +.3% versus a +.5% gain in Jan.
  

Upcoming Splits

• None of note
  

Other Potential Market Movers

• The Fed's Powell speaking, BoE rate decision, Langer Weekly Consumer Comfort Index, weekly EIA natural gas inventory report, JPMorgan Auto Conference, (WDC) investor event, (NLS) investor day and the (VOD) investor breifing could also impact trading today.

Market Hours
Normal:

• 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST
  

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are higher, boosted by technology and industrial shares in the region. I expect US stocks to open modestly higher and to maintain gains into the afternoon. The Portfolio is 100% net long heading into the day.