13Jan2020 Pre-Market Commentary: Futures Near Record High Ahead Of Trade Agreement, Earnings, DOW Up Over 100 Points, WTI Slips Down To 59.18, Gold Rises To 1555

Here is the current market situation from CNN Money

European markets are mixed today. The FTSE 100 is up 0.32% while the CAC 40 gains 0.14%. The DAX is off 0.07%.

Ford’s China vehicle sales drop 26% in third straight year of decline

Ford Motor Co’s China vehicle sales fell for a third consecutive year, by 26.1%, as it battles a prolonged overall sales decline in its second-biggest market that has hit demand for its mass-market Ford brand and sports utility vehicles.

India orders antitrust probe against Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart

India’s antitrust body has ordered an investigation into alleged competition law violations by Amazon.com Inc and Walmart’s Flipkart, it said in an order on Monday.

Futures near record high ahead of trade agreement, earnings

The expected signing of a trade deal between the United States and China kept U.S. stock futures near record levels on Monday, while investors looked forward to the start of the fourth-quarter earnings season.

Stocks pinned near record highs ahead of U.S.-China trade deal

World stock markets were flat on Monday, hovering just below record levels ahead of the expected signing of a Phase 1 China-U.S. trade deal, although markets have yet to see details of the agreement.

Oil steady as U.S.-Iran conflict eases, trade deal details elusive

Oil prices dipped slightly on Monday as investors shift their focus away from easing Mideast tensions to this week’s scheduled signing of an initial U.S.-China trade deal whose details remain to be seen.

U.S. coal-fired power plants closing fast despite Trump’s pledge of support for industry

U.S. coal-fired power plants shut down at the second-fastest pace on record in 2019, despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to prop up the industry, according to data from the federal government and Thomson Reuters.

UK, U.S. and industry officials to meet before Huawei decision: Downing Street

Officials from the British and U.S. governments and the telecoms industry will meet on Monday, before Britain is due to take a decision on the possible use of Huawei [HWT.UL] equipment in future 5G mobile networks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said.

Stretched tech stocks leave some investors seeking off-ramp

As the bull market in U.S. stocks hits new highs, some investors are searching for ways to pare their exposure to the small group of technology and communications stocks that has fueled market gains for years.Â

Lululemon raises quarterly forecast after upbeat holiday sales

Lululemon Athletica Inc raised its quarterly sales and profit outlook on Monday, boosted by strong holiday season demand.

409Ks, 90% Gains, The Fed, & Darth Vader’s Warning

409Ks, 90% Gains, The Fed, & Darth Vader’s Warning

Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,

The worship of mortals as demi-gods and faith in Golden Idols triggers a turn in the karmic wheel as near-infinite hubris invites divine retribution.

In case you missed it, here’s a snapshot of the most recent Federal Reserve board meeting:

Futures Jump On “Trade Optimism” As Phase 1 Deal Signing Looms

Futures Jump On “Trade Optimism” As Phase 1 Deal Signing Looms

With the Fed’s liquidity deluge ongoing, stocks predictably are up on Monday and back to all time highs and since traders always need a “narrative” what better time to use the old standby “U.S. Stock-Index Futures Gain Amid Trade Optimism” (which is how Bloomberg “explained” the market action) especially since the signing of a Phase 1 China-U.S. trade deal is set for this Wednesday, even though markets have yet to see details of the agreement.

“You Killed Our Geniuses” – Regime Crackdown Intensifies As Iranians Flood Streets In Third Day Of Protest

“You Killed Our Geniuses” – Regime Crackdown Intensifies As Iranians Flood Streets In Third Day Of Protest

Despite an aggressive crackdown by the Iranian regime that reportedly included soldiers and riot police firing into crowds of civilians – in open defiance of President Trump’s warning to Tehran not to “kill your protesters” – anti-government protests over Iran’s mistaken shoot-down of UIA Flight 752 continued on Monday for a third straight day, following the regime’s admission of responsibility on Saturday.

During the protests, which erupted out of anger over the regime’s initial lies about Flight 752 (it initially insisted that a “mechanical error” was responsible despite video evidence suggesting a missile strike), Iranian security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas into crowds of angry demonstrators.

US May Ground Civilian Drone Fleet Over China Spy Fears

US May Ground Civilian Drone Fleet Over China Spy Fears

US and Chinese economies are undergoing a great decoupling despite an optically pleasing Phase 1 trade deal. The Trump administration is preparing to ground the largest civilian drone program in the country because drones are made in China and could be susceptible to foreign hackers, reported the Financial Times.Â

The Department of the Interior is expected to ground nearly 1,000 drones in the near term, two sources told the Times. They said the drones are at high risk of being hacked by the Chinese.Â

Inflation surges to 7.35% in Dec, steepest rise in 6 years

Inflation surges to 7.35% in Dec, steepest rise in 6 yearsCPI has breached the upper end of the RBI’s 2-6 percent target band for the first time since July 2016.

India Inc gets a breather on CMD norms

India Inc gets a breather on CMD normsTop 500 entities were earlier required to separate chairperson & MD post from April 1, 2020.

India’s startup story begins to crumble

India’s startup story begins to crumbleOyo, Ola, Paytm, Quikr, Zomato and Rivigo have handed out pink slips or are likely to.

Need to Know: History will repeat itself when it comes to stocks in 2020, Goldman Sachs says

The signing of a œphase one trade deal between the U.S. and China after months of negotiations and tensions looks set to boost stocks further.

The Ratings Game: Walgreens is missing out on sales opportunities in beauty, analyst says

Walgreens said that beauty products were among the big Black Friday categories, a category for growth that GlobalData Retail says the company is missing out on.

J.C. Penney, Macy’s and other department stores don’t have many more seasons left for a turnaround, analyst says

The clock is ticking for department stores like Macy’s Inc. and J.C. Penney Co. Inc., according to Sucharita Kodali, retail analyst at Forrester.