Apple Today - 12/15/2015 FOMC (AAPL)
seymour_greenz • December 15th 2015 09:50:45 AM
Good Morning,
NASDAQ Futures are up 24 with +23 Fair Value, Dow Futures are up 80 as the Fed begins this "historic" December FOMC meeting. Futures are in the green but were even further up earlier.
Asian markets ended lower today with Japan down the most at 1.68%. China lost 0.29% and Hong Kong dropped the least, down 0.17%. European markets are in rally mode today with Germany in the lead and currently up 2.23%. France has gained 2.13% so far, and the UK is also tagging along, up 1.62%. Commodities are currently mixed this morning. Oil and gold are up just under 0.2%. On the other hand, natural gas still can't seem to catch a break and is down again, around 3% lower this morning. Copper, unleaded gas, corn and meats are also down, while silver, platinum, cocoa and coffee are up. Overall a very mixed morning for commodities. Lumber Liquidators (LL) leaps 29% after Tilson's hedge fund covers short.
The "big FOMC meeting" begins today. The US Consumer Price Index remains unchanged as energy costs fell while the Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated less contraction in December. Redbook Chain Store Sales are also due this morning.
VeriFone Systems (PAY) announced earnings yesterday beating on revenue by 1 cent, but is currently down 3% in pre-market on a Goldman Sachs downgrade. FactSet Research Systems (FDS) reported this morning and is currently down 2% on an earnings miss of 3 cents. This afternoon look for earnings from protective clothing manufacturer Lakeland Industries (LAKE). Tomorrow morning, shipping titan FedEx (FDX) is scheduled to report.
AAPL had a rough start yesterday but "jumped" back up in the afternoon, though still ended down 0.62%. Pre-market yesterday was looking good until JP Morgan "channel check fears" hit the wire near 6am, triggering a big slide in pre-market and causing AAPL to lose the 114, 113, 112 and eventually the 111 to bottom out at 109.79 on high volume before beginning a bounce back at noon that jumped back up above 112. AAPL reached a peak of 112.68 in late afternoon on moderate volume and ended down "just" 70 cents at 112.48, far higher than the intra-day low. AAPL lost another 18 cents in after-hours trading to close the session at 112.3.
This morning in pre-market, AAPL opened up higher in conjunction with Futures, seeming with a mission to reclaim 113. After almost getting to 113 (112.85 at 4:39am), AAPL sold off on more "channel check chatter" and sunk straight down like a stone in the face of Futures on mixed volume, first losing 112, then struggling with 111 before bottoming at 110.11 at 6:32am and again at 110.65 at 7:38am. AAPL has since bounced back somewhat and is currently down "only" 56 cents at 111.92.
Classic max-pain is 115.
Futures up:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-idUSKBN0TY1FW20151215
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/15/business/daily-stock-market-activity.html
Global stocks rise:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets-idUSKBN0TY01920151215
Oil ticks up:
http://in.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-idINKBN0TY0AJ20151215
US Consumer Price Index unchanged as energy costs fell:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-15/consumer-price-index-in-u-s-was-unchanged-as-energy-costs-fell
What does a hike mean for consumers?
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fed-rate-impact-20151215-story.html
Gold stabilizes:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-precious-idUSKBN0TY19K20151215
Lumber Liquidators leaps 29%:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2015/12/15/lumber-liquidators-stock-jumps-by-29-after-hedge-fund-ends-short-campaign/
GoPro tumbles:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-14/gopro-tumbles-most-in-six-weeks-after-morgan-stanley-cuts-target
Big Brother wants keep an eye on your drone:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/1214/Own-a-drone-Get-ready-to-register-it-with-the-FAA-video
PR Newswire sold for $841 million:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/business/dealbook/pr-newswire-cision-sale.html
VTech hacker arrested:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35100735
Are "channel-check warnings" priming Apple for monster buybacks?
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/12/15/channel-check-analysts-warning-of-peak-iphone-are-priming-apple-shares-for-monster-buybacks-
Apple's new secret lab will change display tech:
http://fortune.com/2015/12/15/apple-secret-lab-taiwan/
iPhone battery case review:
http://fortune.com/2015/12/14/apple-iphone-battery-case-review/
Philips defensive move against LED rivals:
http://www.slashgear.com/philips-updates-hue-firmware-to-block-bulbs-from-rivals-15418458/
YouTube ending webcam capture:
http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/12/youtube-will-turn-off-its-webcam-capture-feature-after-january-16-2016/
Drone on for hours with help from hydrogen:
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-12/15/drones-hydrogen-fuel-cells-intelligent-energy
EU and new data protection rules:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/technology/eu-data-privacy.html
IBM banks on Watson:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3015182/cloud-computing/ibm-unveils-new-apis-experience-centers-for-watson-iot-unit.html
You'll have to buy your "hoverboard" somewhere other than Amazon:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3360716/Amazon-pulls-sales-hoverboards-amid-safety-concerns.html
Raising a kid, billionaire-style:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-201512140000--tms--kidmoneyctnsr-a20151214-20151214-story.html
Open AI initiative:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/1214/Open-AI-Effort-to-democratize-artificial-intelligence-research
See UK astronaut head for space station:
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34991335
Earth spinning faster?
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/earth-may-spin-faster-as-glaciers-melt/
"Hot Jupiter" mystery solved:
http://www.space.com/31373-hot-jupiters-exoplanets-clouds-hide-water.html
The best Mars colonists could come from places like Iran and Brazil:
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/why-the-best-mars-colonists-could-come-from-places-like-iran-and-brazil/
Life possible inside moon of Saturn?
http://news.discovery.com/space/alien-life-exoplanets/life-friendly-chemistry-revealed-inside-enceladus-151215.htm
XPRIZE ocean competition with $7 million in prizes:
http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/xprize-launches-contest-to-explore-ocean-mysteries-151215.htm
Toxic marine algae causing brain damage in California sea lions:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/116296/20151215/toxic-marine-algae-causing-brain-damage-in-california-sea-lions.htm
Dark matter detector upgraded:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/116256/20151215/worlds-most-sensitive-detector-gets-upgrade-as-search-for-dark-matter-goes-on.htm
Antidepressants during pregnancy may significantly increase autism risk:
http://www.newsweek.com/antidepressants-used-during-pregnancy-may-significantly-increase-autism-risk-404929
Baby born with partially developed brain and skull meets Santa:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/116292/20151215/baby-born-with-partially-developed-brain-and-skull-meets-santa.htm
Stressed-out older adults risk memory problems:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/855961
So try helping others to reduce your stress:
http://www.universityherald.com/articles/27055/20151215/helping-others-may-reduce-your-stress-levels-study-says.htm
Today's Economic Calendar:
FOMC meeting begins
8:30 Consumer Price Index
8:30 Empire State Mfg Survey
8:55 Redbook Chain Store Sales
10:00 NAHB Housing Market Index
4:00 PM Treasury International Capital
Notable earnings after today's close: HEI, JRJC, *LAKE*, LTRE, UWN
And tomorrow before the open: *FDX*, JOY