A Bullish Gamechanger?

What’s in Today’s Report:

• What Would Be a Bullish Gamechanger?

Futures are modestly lower this morning as yesterday’s sizeable stock market gains are digested amid simmering tensions between the U.S. and China after President Trump threatened to cut funding to the WHO late yesterday.

Economically, the German ZEW Survey’s Current Conditions Index fell to -93.5 vs. (E) -87.8 while Business Expectations firmed to 51.0 vs. (E) 33.5, underscoring both the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the broad hopes for a swift recovery.

Today, there is one economic report due out: Housing Starts (E: 968K) but investor focus will be on Capitol Hill where Fed Chair Powell and Secretary Mnuchin are set to testify at 10:00 a.m. ET regarding the stimulus efforts to support the economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

Later in the afternoon, there is one other Fed speaker to watch: Rosengren (2:00 p.m. ET) but things should be relatively quiet following the Powell and Mnuchin’s testimony this morning.