Morning Call For Friday, Sept. 29

Dec E-mini S&Ps (ESZ17 -0.05%) this morning are little changed, down -0.03%, ahead of U.S. economic data later this morning on Aug personal spending and income and the Aug core PCE deflator, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation.

OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS

Dec E-mini S&Ps (ESZ17 -0.05%) this morning are little changed, down -0.03%, ahead of U.S. economic data later this morning on Aug personal spending and income and the Aug core PCE deflator, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation. European stocks are up +0.31% at a 3-month high on strength in the European economy after German unemployment in Sep unexpectedly fell to a record low. Also, inflation in the Eurozone rose at a slower-than-expected pace this month, which may prompt the ECB to delay tapering of its bond purchases. Asian stocks settled mixed: Japan -0.03%, Hong Kong +0.48%, China +0.28%, Taiwan _0.33%, Australia +0.20%, Singapore -0.22%, South Korea +0.77%, India unchanged. China's Shanghai Composite climbed to a 1-week high ahead of next week's Golden Week holidays, which will close the Chinese markets for the entire week. Japanese deflation concerns eased a bit after the Japan Aug national CPI rose a more than expected +0.7% y/y, the fastest pace of increase in 2-1/3 years.

The dollar index (DXY00 -0.02%) is down -0.03%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is up +0.24%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.10%.

Dec 10-year T-note prices (ZNZ17 -0.05%) are down -0.5 of a tick.

The German Sep unemployment change fell -23,000 to 2.506 million, stronger than expectations of -5,000. The Sep unemployment rate unexpectedly fell -0.1 to 5.6%, stronger than expectations of no change at 5.7% and the lowest since German reunification in 1990.

The Eurozone Sep CPI estimate rose +1.5% y/y, weaker than expectations of +1.6% y/y. The Sep core CPI rose +1.1% y/y, weaker than expectations of +1.2% y/y.

The Japan Aug jobless rate was unch at 2.8%, right on expectations. The Aug job-to-applicant ratio was unch at 1.52, weaker than expectations of +0.01 to 1.53.

Japan Aug national CPI rose +0.7% y/y, stronger than expectations of +0.6% y/y and the fastest pace of increase in 2-1/3 years. Aug national CPI ex fresh food rose +0.7% y/y, right on expectations. Aug national CPI ex fresh food & energy rose +0.2% y/y, right on expectations and the biggest increase in 7 months.

Japan Aug industrial production rose +2.1% m/m, stronger than expectations of +1.8% m/m.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) Aug personal spending (expected +0.1%, Jul +0.3%) and Aug personal income (expected +0.2%, Jul +0.4%), (2) Aug PCE deflator (expected +0.3% m/m and +1.5% y/y, Jul +0.1% m/m and +1.4% y/y) and Aug core PCE deflator (expected +0.2% and +1.4% y/y, Jul +0.1% m/m and +1.4% y/y), (3) Sep Chicago PMI (expected -0.2 to 58.7, Aug unch at 58.9), (4) final-Sep University of Michigan U.S. consumer sentiment index (expected unch at 95.3, prelim-Sep -1.5 to 95.3), (5) Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker (voter) speaks at an event titled: The Impact on Consumers, Banking, and Regulatory Policy, (6) USDA Q3 Quarterly Grain Stocks.

Notable Russell 1000 earnings reports today include: none.

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

Equity conferences this week: none.

OVERNIGHT U.S. STOCK MOVERS

Louisiana-Pacific (LPX +0.07%) was downgraded to 'Underperform' from 'Market Perform' at BMO Capital Markets.

Altice (ATUS -3.05%) was initiated with a recommendation of 'Buy' at Redburn with a price target of $35.27.

Mastercard (MA +0.38%) was initiated with a recommendation of 'Overweight' at Cantor Fitzgerald with a 12-month target price of $165.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +0.37%) was initiated with a recommendation of 'Buy' at BTIG LLC with a 12-month target price of $200.

WR Grace (GRA) was initiated with a recommendation of 'Buy' at Loop Capital Markets with a 12-month target price of $81.

Tyson Foods (TSN) rallied over 5% in after-hours trading after it raised guidance on its fiscal 2017 adjusted EPS to $5.20-$5.30 from a prior view of $4.95-$5.05, citing better-than-expected earnings in the beef segment.

Cabot Microelectronics (CCMP) was initiated with a recommendation of 'Buy' at Loop Capital Markets with a 12-month target price of $94.

KB Home (KBH) gained over 1% in after-hours trading after it reported Q3 revenue of $1.14 billion, above consensus of $1.11 billion.

Nexstar Media Group (NXST +1.06%) slid 1% in after-hours trading after a block of 641,000 shares of Nexstar was offered at $61 a share via Raymond James, a -1.93% discount to Thursday's closing price.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT +0.36%) lost almost 1% in after-hours trading after it announced that it had commenced a secondary offering of 14.61 million shares of its common stock.

Smart Global Holdings (SGH +4.90%) jumped almost 7% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 net sales of $223 million, better than consensus of $210.6 million.

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (ZYNE +52.50%) rallied nearly 6% in after-hours trading after it was upgraded to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral' at Piper Jaffray with a target price of $16.

Marinus Pharmaceuticals (MRNS -4.77%) rose over 3% in after-hours trading after Bain Capital Life Sciences Fund reported a 15.9% passive stake in the company.

Aehr Test Systems (AEHR +11.04%) jumped olpx ver 15% in after-hours trading after it reported Q1 revenue of $6.97 million, better than expectations of $6.75 million.

MARKET COMMENTS

Dec S&P 500 E-mini stock futures (ESZ17 -0.05%) this morning are doen -0.75 points (-0.03%). Thursday's closes: S&P 500 +0.12%, Dow Jones +0.18%, Nasdaq -0.08%. The S&P 500 on Thursday closed higher on the unexpected upward revision to U.S. Q2 GDP to 3.1% from +3.0%, strongest pace of growth since Q1 2015, and on this week's increased optimism that Republicans may be able to cut corporate taxes. Energy stocks were undercut by the -1.11% sell-off in crude oil prices.

Dec 10-year T-note prices (ZNZ17 -0.05%) this morning are down -0.5 of a tick. Thursday's closes: TYZ7 +3.50, FVZ7 +3.25. Dec 10-year T-notes on Thursday recovered from a 2-1/2 month low and closed higher on some short-covering due to strong demand for the Treasury's $28 billion auction of 7-year T-notes that had a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.70, above the 12-auction average of 2.53. T-notes were undercut by the unexpected upward revision in U.S. Q2 GDP to 3.1% from 3.0% and by increased inflation expectations after the 10-year T-note breakeven inflation rate rose to a 4-1/2 month high.

The dollar index (DXY00 -0.02%) this morning is down -0.024 (-0.03%). EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is up +0.0028 (+0.24%) and USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.11 (+0.10%). Thursday's closes: Dollar Index -0.276 (-0.30), EUR/USD +0.0041 (+0.35%), USD/JPY -0.50 (-0.44%). The dollar index on Thursday closed lower on strength in EUR/USD after Eurozone Sep economic confidence rose +1.1 to 113.0, a 10-1/4 year high. The dollar was also undercut by the decline in T-note yields, which undercut the dollar's interest rate differentials.

Nov crude oil (CLX17 -0.12%) this morning is up +4 cents (+0.08%) and Nov gasoline (RBX17 -0.27%) is +0.0001 (+0.01%). Thursday's closes: Nov WTI crude -0.5 (-1.11%), Nov gasoline -0.0072 (-0.44%). Nov crude oil and gasoline on Thursday closed lower on the decline in the crack spread to a 1-month low, which may curb refinery demand for crude to refine into gasoline, and on negative carry-over from Wednesday's EIA data that showed U.S. crude production last week rose to a 2-year high.

Metals prices this morning are mixed with Dec gold (GCZ17 +0.16%) +3.3 (+0.26%), Dec silver (SIZ17 +0.11%) +0.043 (+0.26%) and Dec copper (HGZ17 -0.50%) -0.013 (-0.44%). Thursday's closes: Dec gold -13.9 (-1.07%), Dec silver -0.056 (-0.33%), Dec copper +0.0105 (+0.36%). Metals on Thursday closed higher on a weaker dollar, the upward revision to U.S. Q2 GDP to +3.1% from +3.0% that was positive for industrial metals demand, and the -3,525 MT decline in LME copper inventories to a 2-week low of 298,425 MT.

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