Morning Call 11/28

Barchart Morning Call

Barchart.com - Tue Nov 28, 6:39AM CST

OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS

Dec E-mini S&Ps (ESZ17 +0.11%) this morning are up +0.11% on optimism U.S. legislators will be able to pass tax cuts his year. European stocks are up +0.48% led by a 3% gain in Royal Dutch Shell Plc after it restored its full cash dividend for the first time in more than 2 years and said it will buy back at least $25 billion of stock by 2020. Gains in the overall market were limited due to weakness in mining stocks as Dec COMEX copper (HGZ17 -1.93%) slumped -1.87% to a 1-week low on Chinese demand concerns. Asian stocks settled mixed: Japan -0.04%, Hong Kong -0.02%, China +0.34%, Taiwan -0.41%, Australia -0.08%, Singapore +0.17%, South Korea +0.44%, India -0.31%. China's Shanghai Composite rebounded from a 3-month low and closed higher after China's Kweichow Moutai, the world's biggest liquor company by market value, jumped 4% and closed higher for the first time since Nov 16 when the Xinhua News Agency said the stock had been rising too fast. 

The dollar index (DXY00 +0.17%) is up +0.17%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.13%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.24%.

Dec 10-year T-note prices (ZNZ17 -0.06%) are down -2.5 ticks.

In its semi-annual report, the OECD cautioned that financial markets are too optimistic as "evidence continues to build that financial asset prices are inconsistent with expectations for future growth and the policy stance, exacerbating the risks of financial corrections and growth downdrafts."

German Dec GfK consumer confidence was unchanged at 10.7, right on expectations.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) Oct wholesale inventories (expected +0.4%, Sep +0.3%), (2) Sep FHFA house price index (expected +0.5% m/m, Aug +0.7% m/m. Q3 house price purchase index, Q2 +1.6% q/q), (3) Sep S&P CoreLogic composite-20 home price index (expected +0.3% m/m and +6.0% y/y, Aug +0.45% m/m and +5.92% y/y), (4) Conference Board Nov U.S. consumer confidence (expected -1.9 to 124.0, Oct +5.3 to 125.9), (5) Senate Banking Committee holds hearing on Fed Chair nominee Jerome Powell, (6) Nov Richmond Fed manufacturing index (expected +2 to 14, Oct -7 to 12), (7) Treasury auctions $28 billion of 7-year T-notes.

Notable Russell 1000 earnings reports today include: Marvel Technology (consensus $0.33), Nuance Communications (0.15), Autodesk (-0.13).

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

Equity conferences this week: Credit Suisse Global TMT Conference on Mon-Wed, Credit Suisse Technology Media & Telecom Conference on Tue, UBS Global Real Estate CEO/CFO Conference on Tue, Piper Jaffray Health Care Conference on Tue-Wed, ACI European Base Oils & Lubricants Interactive Summit on Wed, Citi Basic Materials Conference on Wed-Thu, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Leveraged Finance Conference on Wed-Thu, Credit Suisse Industrials Conference on Wed-Thu, Evercore ISI Inaugural Biopharma Catalyst/Deep Dive Conference on Wed-Thu, ACI Cyber Security Oil, Gas, Power Conference on Thu, Deutsche Bank MedTools and Diagnostics One-on-One Day on Thu, HSBC High Yield Conference on Thu.

OVERNIGHT U.S. STOCK MOVERS

Home Depot (HD +1.06%) was upgraded to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral' at Atlantic Equities LLP with a price target of $197.

Lowe's (LOW +0.74%) was downgraded to 'Neutral' from 'Overweight' at Atlantic Equities LLP.

Hormel Foods (HRL -0.67%) may move higher this morning after it raised guidance for full-year 2018 EPS to $1.62 to $1.72 from a prior view of $1.60 to $1.70.

Tech Data (TECD +0.85%) climbed almost 5% in after-hours trading after it reported Q3 adjusted EPS of $2.00, stronger than consensus of $1.92, and then said it sees Q4 adjusted EPS of $3.35 to $3.65, higher than consensus of $3.32.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH -0.05%) slid 1% in after-hours trading after it said it sees 2018 adjusted EPS of $10.55 to $10.85, the mid-point below consensus of $10.82.

Thor Industries (THO -0.60%) rallied over 10% in after-hours trading after it reported Q1 EPS from continuing operations of $2.43, well above consensus of $1.86.

MTS Systems (MTSC +0.36%) rose 1% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 adjusted EPS of 44 cents, higher than consensus of 35 cents.

Medpace Holdings (MEDP -1.20%) lost nearly 2% in after-hours trading after it announced a proposed secondary offering of 4.0 million shares of its common stock by investment funds affiliated with Cinven Capital Management General Partner Limited.

Dova Pharmaceuticals (DOVA -0.45%) gained over 1% in after-hours trading after its new drug application for avatrombopag was granted priority review by the FDA.

Venator Materials PLC (VNTR -0.52%) slid over 1% in after-hours trading after it launched a secondary public offering of 18 million shares of its common stock by holder Huntsman Corporation.

Aratana Therapeutics (PETX +2.99%) fell over 7% in after-hours trading after it announced that it had commenced an underwritten registered public offering of $35 million in shares of its common stock.

Ardmore Shipping (ASC -1.12%) dropped 8% in after-hours trading after it announced a proposed secondary offering of 5.58 million shares of its common stock by holder GA Holdings LLC.

Apollo Endosurgery (APEN -0.25%) surged over 20% in after-hours trading after it received FDA approval for its OverStitch Sx endoscopic suturing system.

MARKET COMMENTS

Dec S&P 500 E-mini stock futures (ESZ17 +0.11%) this morning are up +2.75 points (+0.11%). Monday's closes: S&P 500 -0.04%, Dow Jones +0.10%, Nasdaq -0.05%. The S&P 500 on Monday posted a new record high but gave up its advance and closed slightly lower. Stocks were undercut by the -1.42% fall in crude oil prices, which undercut energy stocks, and by renewed North Korean tensions after Japan said it has indications that North Korea is preparing for a missile launch. Stocks were supported by the unexpected +6.2% increase in U.S. Oct new home sales to a 10-year high of 685,000, stronger than expectations of -6.1% to 627,000.

Dec 10-year T-note prices (ZNZ17 -0.06%) this morning are down -2.5 ticks. Monday's closes: TYZ7 +5.00, FVZ7 +3.00. Dec 10-year T-notes on Monday closed higher on reduced inflation expectations as the -1.42% decline in crude oil prices helped push the 10-year T-note breakeven inflation rate down to a 1-month low. T-notes also saw some safe-haven demand on reports that North Korea may be preparing to launch a ballistic missile.

The dollar index (DXY00 +0.17%) this morning is up +0.158 (+0.17%). EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.0015 (-0.13%) and USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.27 (+0.24%). Monday's closes: Dollar Index +0.122 (+0.13%), EUR/USD -0.0035 (-0.29%), USD/JPY -0.44 (-0.39%). The dollar index on Monday recovered from a 2-month low and closed higher on the unexpected increase in U.S. Oct new home sales to a 10-year high and on hawkish comments from Dallas Fed President Kaplan who said he backs a rate hike in the "near future."

Jan crude oil (CLF18 -0.76%) this morning is down -56 cents (-0.96%) and Jan gasoline (RBF18 -1.05%) is -0.0220 (-1.23%). Monday's closes: Jan WTI crude -0.84 (-1.42%), Jan gasoline +0.0042 (+0.24%). Jan crude oil and gasoline on Monday settled mixed. Crude oil prices were undercut by a recovery in the dollar index from a 2-month low and by concern the recent rally in crude prices to a 2-1/3 year high will prompt U.S. shale-oil producers to boost output after Friday's data from Baker Hughes showed that active U.S. oil rigs in the week ended Nov 24 rose by +9 rigs to a 7-week high of 747 rigs. Crude oil prices received support from the jump in U.S. Oct new home sales to a 10-year high, which shows economic strength and is positive for fuel demand.

Metals prices this morning are mixed with Dec gold (GCZ17 +0.01%) -0.4 (-0.03%), Dec silver (SIZ17 +0.09%) +0.005 (+0.03%) and Dec copper (HGZ17 -1.93%) -0.059 (-1.87%) at a 1-week low. Monday's closes: Dec gold +7.1 (+0.55%), Dec silver +0.028 (+0.16%), Dec copper -0.0345 (-1.09%). Metals on Monday settled mixed with Dec gold at a 1-1/4 month high. Metals prices were boosted by Japanese report that North Korea is preparing a missile launch, which boosted safe-haven demand for precious metals, and by tighter copper supplies as LME copper inventories fell -9,400 MT to an 8-3/4 month low of 204,200 MT. Copper closed lower, however, after the Shanghai Composite fell to a 3-month low, which fueled concerns the Chinese economy may slow and curb demand for industrial metals.

GLOBAL EVENT CALENDAR11/28/2017

		Tuesday, Nov 28
US	0830 ET	Oct wholesale inventories expected +0.4%, Sep +0.3%. Oct retail inventories, Sep -1.0%.
	0900 ET	Sep FHFA house price index expected +0.5% m/m, Aug +0.7% m/m. Q3 house price purchase index, Q2 +1.6% q/q.
	0900 ET	Sep S&P CoreLogic composite-20 home price index expected +0.3% m/m and +6.0% y/y, Aug +0.45% m/m and +5.92% y/y.
	1000 ET	Conference Board Nov U.S. consumer confidence expected -1.9 to 124.0, Oct +5.3 to 125.9.
	1000 ET	Senate Banking Committee holds hearing on Fed Chair nominee Jerome Powell.
	1000 ET	Nov Richmond Fed manufacturing index expected +2 to 14, Oct -7 to 12.
	1300 ET	Treasury auctions $28 billion of 7-year T-notes.
		Wednesday, Nov 29
US	0700 ET	Weekly MBA mortgage applications, previous +0.1% with purchase sub-index +5.3% and refi sub-index -4.8%.
	0830 ET	Revised Q3 GDP expected +3.2% (q/q annualized), previous +3.0%. Q3 personal consumption expected +2.5%, previous +2.4%. Q3 GDP price index expected unrevised at +2.2%. Q3 core PCE deflator, previous +1.3% q/q.
	0830 ET	New York Fed President William Dudley (voter) takes part in a moderated discussion about current economic issues at Rutgers University.
	1000 ET	Fed Chair Janet Yellen addresses the Joint Economic Committee of Congress on the U.S. economic outlook.
	1000 ET	Oct pending home sales expected +1.0% m/m and +3.0% y/y, Sep unch m/m and -5.4% y/y.
	1030 ET	EIA weekly Petroleum Status Report.
	1245 ET	San Francisco Fed President John Williams (non-voter) delivers keynote speech at the Annual Economic Forecast Luncheon sponsored by Arizona State University in Phoenix.
	1400 ET	Fed Beige Book.

U.S. STOCK CALENDAR11/28/2017

Name	Ticker	Time	Description	Period	Estimate
UnitedHealth Group Inc	UNH US	08:00	Investor Meeting
Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc	BIO US	09:00	Investor Day
Equifax Inc	EFX US		Investor Meeting
Nuance Communications Inc	NUAN US	Aft-mkt	Q4 2017 Earnings Release	Q4 17	0.145
Autodesk Inc	ADSK US	16:01	Q3 2018 Earnings Release	Q3 18	(0.13)
Marvell Technology Group Ltd	MRVL US	16:45	Q3 2018 Earnings Call	Q3 18
Marvell Technology Group Ltd	MRVL US	16:45	Q3 2018 Earnings Release	Q3 18	0.325
Nuance Communications Inc	NUAN US	17:00	Q4 2017 Earnings Call	Q4 17
Autodesk Inc	ADSK US	17:00	Q3 2018 Earnings Call	Q3 18