Morning Call For Monday, Nov. 20

OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS

Dec E-mini S&Ps (ESZ17 -0.06%) this morning are down -0.02% on concern over passage of U.S. tax reform legislation. European stocks are up +0.23%, led by strength in automakers, after Volkswagen AG raised its 2020 sales growth forecast to 25%, up from a forecast of 20% in March. The upside in European stocks was limited after German Chancellor Merkel’s attempt to form a new government collapsed after a month of coalition talks fell apart over disputes about migration policies that prompted the Free Democrats to walk out of the negotiations late Sunday night. That may spur Chancellor Merkel to ask German President Steinmeier to order a second national election, most likely in the spring, or form a minority government headed by her Christian Democratic bloc. Asian stocks settled mixed: Japan -0.60%, Hong Kong +0.21%, China +0.28%, Taiwan -0.35%, Australia -0.19%, Singapore +0.12%, South Korea =0.38%, India +0.05%. China’s Shanghai Composite rebounded from a 1-1/2 month low and closed higher as property developers and home building stocks rallied after China Oct new home prices increased from Sep.

The dollar index (DXY00 +0.08%) is up +0.12%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.12%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.13%.

Dec 10-year T-note prices (ZNZ17 +0.10%) are up +2 ticks.

China Oct new home prices rose in 50 of the 70 cities tracked by the government, an improvement from 44 of the 70 that rose in Sep.

German Oct PPI rose +0.3% m/m and +2.7% y/y, right on expectations.

The Japan Oct trade balance shrank to a surplus of +285.4 billion yen, narrower than expectations of +330.0 billion yen. Oct exports rose +14.0% y/y, weaker than expectations of +15.7% y/y. Oct imports rose +18.9% y/y, weaker than expectations of +20.2% y/y.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) Oct leading indicators (expected +0.7%, Sep -0.2%), (2) USDA weekly grain export inspections, (3) USDA crop conditions and progress report.