THURSDAY 2/6/14; ECB Rate Decision

Australia, Kospi and Hang Seng are all up about +1% but NIKK ends slightly negative. Sony warns of losses ahead, sells the PC operations, will spin off the television business this summer and plans to cut 5,000 jobs this year. MCD opens the first restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. YUM entered Vietnam in 1997 and BKW operates 29 restaurants opening the first three years ago. Oil, natty gas, gold, silver, copper are all up but platinum is lower. The South African platinum mine protests turn ugly with one person shot to death after talks to resolve the wage dispute are suspended.

The London tube strike continues for a second day and the shutdown in the subway continues to make traveling difficult. Daimler profit jumps surprisingly higher fueled by the Mercedes popularity. European markets are all about +1% higher. Traders are waiting for the BOE and ECB central bank decisions occurring within the next couple of hours. The dollar/yen is 101.54 printing a 100.76 low in recent days. The euro is 1.3525 printing a 1.3477 low a few days ago. Pound 1.6290. The US futures are strongly higher with the higher dollar/yen. At 5 AM, S&P +11. Dow +90. Nasdaq +23. The 10-year Treasury yield is 2.68%, 5-year 1.50% and 2-year 0.32%. WTIC crude oil 98. Brent oil 107.

Germany factory orders surprisingly drop -0.5% when .........





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Trannies and semiconductors provide the rocket fuel. TRAN +1.5%. SOX +1.6%. Copper recovers strongly after its recent beating. GMCR is the big winner +26% likely roasting Greenlight Capital’s Einhorn since he has been vocal about shorting Green Mountain. TWTR pukes -24% and is the butt of jokes on, of course, Twitter. Shutterfly reports strong earnings but the stock flies into a mountain losing -11% over concern on its investment strategy and plan forward. The 10-year yield is above 2.70%. Long traders send thank you notes to BOJ Governor Kuroda since he slapped the yen silly sending the dollar/yen to 102.10 creating the upside stock market orgy today.

After the bell, EXPE jumps +6% reporting strong EPS but the top line is only inline. LNKD pukes -12% after beating by a penny but lowers guidance. LinkedIn is a long time darling of traders so the love affair may be over. NCR plummets -7% after weak earnings living up to its comical nickname National Crash Register rather than National Cash Register, which was the original basis for the NCR name. GPS gains +5% after raising guidance. OUTR bounces +8% due to management changes. OPEN pukes -4% after beating on EPS and matching the top line but lowering guidance. Market optimism runs wildly higher today with traders expecting a jobs number well above 200K in the morning. Aerosols, powders, sprays and pastes are banned on all flights to Russia to avert any potential terrorist plots.