THURSDAY 3/19/15; Fed Aftermath; German Bund 0.17%; LEN; Philly Fed Survey; Leading Indicators; RUT All-Time Record High; NKE

Asian indexes follow the US lead trading higher across the board except for Japan due to the stronger yen. Dollar/yen 120.45. The NIKK ends down -0.4%. Exporters such as Nikon and SNE trade lower. The SPASX200 leaps +1.9% above 5950. New Zealand trades higher after the +3.5% year on year GDP is better than expected indicating the strongest growth in eight years. The KOSPI gains +0.4% but is held in check by weakness in Samsung Electronics.

The SSEC gains +0.2% and HSI +1.3%. The Shanghai Index continues printing new seven-year highs at 3586. Chinese railroads are strong. Airlines are weak. A Chinese aluminum sentiment index weakens for the first time in one year. CHL posts six consecutive quarterly profit drops. Over 5K factory workers continue to demonstrate against Nike and Reebok. Police are out in force to control the crowds. NKE reports earnings today after the closing bell in the States.

President Putin appears at one-year anniversary celebrations concerning the Crimea annexation. Putin stresses how Russia has regained its “historic roots” with the takeover of the critical port region. Conjecture remains about Putin’s disappearance but he appears healthier than a couple days ago. Putin comments that sanctions are hurting Russia but are “not fatal.” EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss further sanctions against Russia but 











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decreases Nike profits. NKE runs +4% higher as trading continues. CTRP jumps +8% after reporting less of a loss than expected and top line in line. BK agrees to pay $714 million to US regulators to settle litigation concerning fraudulent Forex trading practices. New York Attorney General Schneiderman says Bank of New York Mellon “misled customers and traded at their expense.” Wall Street is corrupt.

Steel-maker AKS preannounces lower EPS than current projections and is whacked -6%. Drug-maker PRTA gains +42% on encouraging results for its Parkinson’s treatment. SEAS sails higher after SeaWorld appoints Joel Manby as CEO.  MFRM gains +4% after missing on EPS but beating on the top line; Mattress Firm will sleep well tonight.

A meeting of EU leaders in Brussels including Greece PM Tsipras, German Chancellor Merkel, EC Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker, ECB President Draghi, France PM Hollande and Dutch FM and Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem continues late into the evening. Greece requires emergency funding to stay afloat. Tsipras will also visit Merkel in Berlin on Monday.