Evening Headlines
Bloomberg:
- China Debt Markets Show Stress Amid Duck Maker Loan Default. China’s debt markets signaled more stress as a duck processor cited
increasing difficulty getting credit as it defaulted on bank loans ahead
of a bond deadline next week. Zhong’ao Holdings Group Co., a
closely held maker of smoked duck leg
and other foods, owes banks 295.96 million yuan ($47.7 million) in loan
principal and interest, according to a statement dated June 1 on
Chinamoney. The company, based in the eastern province of Shandong, must
repay 200 million yuan of 7.39 percent notes on June
12.
- China Stocks in Hong Kong Decline as Insurance Companies Drop. China’s stocks trading in Hong Kong fell, led by insurers, after the
index rose the most in a week on Monday. The Shanghai Composite Index
swung between gains and losses. Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. and Air China Ltd. fell more than 1
percent in Hong Kong. Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co.
jumped 10 percent on a plan to buy Italian renewables company Ladurner
Ambiente. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 0.9 percent to
14,172.88 at 9:46 a.m. local time. The Hang Seng Index lost 0.5 percent.
- Asian Stocks Retreat as Copper Slips With Oil; Aussie Rebounds. Most Asian stocks fell, led by consumer and raw materials companies,
as copper drove a retreat among industrial metals and crude oil slipped
a second day. Australia’s dollar rallied before an interest-rate
review.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped a second day, down 0.4 percent by
11:06 a.m. in Tokyo as benchmarks in Australia and South Korea dropped
at least 0.5 percent.
- Euro’s Growing Ties to Oil Only Encourage Bears Seeing Parity. If
you want to know which way the euro’s headed, ask an oil trader. The
euro-dollar rate is tracking crude prices more closely than at
any time in the past two years. The European Central Bank gives more
weight to the impact of energy prices on inflation than the Federal
Reserve, so when oil started falling in the middle of last year it was
one more reason for Europe to step up monetary stimulus to boost price
growth.
- Bank of America: U.S. Home Prices Set for a Fall in 2017. Americans will face falling home prices in a matter of years as
personal income gains fail to keep pace with the recovery from the
financial crisis, according to a Bank of America Corp. analyst. Chris Flanagan predicted in a report Monday that starting in 2017 the
U.S. housing market will experience three straight years of “modest”
declines in property values.
Wall Street Journal:
- More Health-Care Insurers Seek Big Premium Increases. The
Obama administration published more information about hefty 2016
proposals. The Obama administration published more information Monday
about
hefty premium increases for 2016 sought by large insurers selling plans
under the health law. Major carriers from around the country are
proposing big increases in the premium rates paid by consumers who buy
insurance policies on their own.
- The FIFA-Clinton Method. Nothing embarrasses them, so nobody stops them. Ubiquitous but opaque. Powerful but unaccountable. Ostensibly public
spirited but relentlessly mercenary. Often shamed but unshakably
shameless. Let us count the ways in which the Clinton Foundation
resembles the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, better
known as FIFA.
Zero Hedge:
Business Insider:
Telegraph:
Evening Recommendations
Night Trading
- Asian equity indices are -1.25% to unch. on average.
- Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 107.5 +.5 basis point.
- Asia Pacific Sovereign CDS Index 59.75 unch.
- NASDAQ 100 futures -.03%.
Earnings of Note
Company/Estimate
Economic Releases
9:45 am EST
- ISM New York for May is estimated to fall to 58.0 versus 58.1 in April.
10:00 am EST
- Factor Orders for April are estimated to fall by -.1% versus a +2.1% gain in March.
- IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism for June is estimated to rise to 49.8 versus 49.7 in May.
Afternoon:
- Total Vehicle Sales are estimated to rise to 13.2M versus 12.88M in April.
Upcoming Splits
Other Potential Market Movers
- The
China Services PMI report, German Unemployment report, US weekly retail
sales reports, Deutsche Bank Financial Services Conference, Stephens
Investment Conference, CSFB Energy Conference, CSFB Homebuilding
Conference, BofA Tech Conference, (URBN) annual meeting, (VNCE) annual
meeting and the (IFF) investor day could also impact trading today.
BOTTOM LINE: Asian
indices are mostly lower, weighed down by technology and commodity
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.