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Tuesday, September 28, 2021 Futures Up/Down % Last Dow -120.00 0.37% 34,614 S&P 500 -36.25 0.81% 4,397 Nasdaq -232.50 1.53% 14,962 U.S. stock futures are sharply lower, extending losses in tech as Treasury yields keep climbing (10-year hit 1.55% overnight), hitting growth stocks while the debt ceiling showdown in Washington D.C. intensifies with markets awaiting news on the House vote Thursday on the $1T bipartisan infrastructure bill, as Democrats work to build a consensus on the $3.5T reconciliation bill. If the two sides can’t agree on the bill that Democrats recently attached to the federal debt ceiling limit, the country could see a partial gov’t shutdown by Friday. Politico reported that Democrats are hinting they could be willing to drop the debt ceiling from their government funding package this week in order to avoid a government shutdown. The 10-year Treasury yield is up more than 4 basis points to 1.53% after topping 1.55% earlier while the 5-year is setting new records for the year and is up 2 bps to 1.02%. There will be an auction of $62B in 7-year notes this afternoon. The move higher is coming as concerns about inflation rise, especially in commodities as oil is up again, with WTI futures above $76 per barrel and Brent futures topping $80. In Asian markets, The Nikkei Index fell -56 points to 30,183, the Shanghai Index gained 19 points to 3,602 and the Hang Seng Index climbed 291 points to 24,500. In Europe, the German DAX is down -180 points (1.15%) to drops below 15,400, while the FTSE 100 slides -30 points to 7.025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced on Monday with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling amid rising Treasury yields (up a 5th straight day) raising concerns for growth stocks while global oil price reached its highest level since October 2018. Brent crude gains 2.1% to $78.81, sending the energy sector soaring and WTI crude topped $75 per barrel, also best levels in about 3-years. Durable goods orders posted their biggest increase since May, rising 1.8% for August and handily beating economists. Notably, small-capitalization stocks advanced sharply on the session, aided by a gain in energy shares which themselves were helped by a rally in crude-oil prices. U.S. natural gas futures soared 11% to a seven-year high as record global gas prices kept demand for U.S. liquefied natural gas ($LNG) exports strong. On its second to last day as the front-month, gas futures for October delivery rose 56.6 cents, or 11.0%, to settle at $5.706 per million British thermal units (highest close since February 2014). Market Closing Prices Yesterday The S&P 500 Index slipped -12.37 points, or 0.28%, to 4,443.11 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 71.37 points, or 0.21%, to 34,869.37 The Nasdaq Composite dropped -77.73 points, or 0.52%, to 14,969.97 The Russell 2000 Index advanced 32.93 points, or 1.46% to 2,281.00 Events Calendar for Today 7:45 AM ET ICSC Weekly Retail Sales 8:30 AM ET Advance Goods Trade Balance for Aug 8:30 AM ET Wholesale Inventories for Aug 8:55 AM ET Johnson/Redbook Weekly Sales 9:00 AM ET Monthly Home Price MoM for July 9:00 AM ET S&P CaseShiller 20 City MoM for July 10:00 AM ET Consumer Confidence for Sept 10:00 AM ET Richmond Fed Index for Sept 1:00 PM ET U.S. to sell $62 bln 7-year notes 4:30 PM ET API Weekly Inventory Data Earnings Calendar: Earnings Before the Open: FDS, SNX, THO, UNFI Earnings After the Close: CALM, MU, NTWK, PCYG, PEYE Other Key Events: BMO Capital Washington DC Property Tour, 9/27-9/28 Cantor Global Healthcare Conference (virtual), 9/27-9/30 Oppenheimer ESG Summit: Navigating the ESG & Climate Transition, 9/28 Wolfe Utilities & Midstream Conference 2021, 9/28-9/31 Macro Up/Down Last Nymex 0.87 76.32 Brent 0.66 80.19 Gold -12.00 1,738.00 EUR/USD -0.0016 1.1679 JPY/USD 0.37 111.37 10-Year Note +0.036 1.52% World News Senate GOP (as expected) blocks bill that would fund government and suspend debt limit, as time runs short to avoid shutdown and default. Lawmakers have to pass an appropriations bill by Thursday to avoid a shutdown, and need to suspend or increase the debt limit sometime in the coming weeks to prevent a default Goldman’s revised China GDP forecast to 0% Q/Q in Q3, down from 1.3% and cuts China 2021 GDP growth forecast to 7.8% vs. 8.2% Sector News Breakdown Consumer Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. ($EDR) shares rise 10% as has entered into an agreement to acquire OpenBet, a leading content, platform and service provider to the sports betting industry, from Scientific Games Corporation (SGMS) for $1.2 billion paid through a combination of cash ($1 billion) and Endeavor’s Class A common stock ($200 million). Ford ($F) unveiled plans to team with South Korean battery maker SK Innovation to spend $11.4B to build an electric F-150 assembly plant and three battery plants in the U.S., in a substantial acceleration of its push into electric vehicles. Ford will build two massive battery factories in Glendale, Ky., and a third in Stanton, Tenn., alongside a new truck factory set to begin producing electric F-series pickups by 2025 Manchester United plc ($MANU) files for potential mixed shelf; size not disclosed Energy, Industrials and Materials Sempra Energy ($SRE) updating its 2021 financial guidance. As full-year 2021 GAAP earnings-per-common-share (EPS) guidance range is updated from $7.41 to $8.01 to $3.83 to $4.43, while the company is also guiding to the upper end of the range for its full-year 2021 adjusted EPS guidance of $7.75 to $8.35 Activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP has a more-than-8% stake in Huntsman Corp. ($HUN) and plans to agitate for change at the chemical’s producer, according to people familiar with the matter, the WSJ reported after the close last night. Huntsman has a market value of roughly $6.3 billion, making Starboard’s stake worth around $500 million or more Agnico Eagle Mines Limited ($AEM) and Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. ($KL) have entered into an agreement to combine in a merger of equals, with the combined company to continue under the name “Agnico Eagle Mines Limited”. Kirkland Lake Gold shareholders will receive 0.7935 of an Agnico Eagle common share for each Kirkland Lake Gold common share held Financials Concentrix Corporation ($CNXC) Q3 EPS $2.49 vs. est. $2.24; Q3 revs $1.397B vs. est. $1.38B; sees Q4 revs $1.44B-$1.48B; board has authorized co to purchase up to $500 mln of co’s outstanding shares from time to time; raises double-digit revenue growth expectations for the full year Montrose Environmental Group Inc. ($MEG) said it intends to offer for sale 1.8 mln shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering IHS Markit ($INFO) Q3 adj EPS $0.85 vs. est.$0.83; Q3 revs $1.18B vs. est. $1.17B; raises FY21 adjusted EPS view to $3.18-$3.20 from $3.15-$3.17 (est. $3.17) and lowers FY21 revenue view to $4.61B-$4.63B from $4.635B-$4.675B Healthcare Merck (MRK) is in advanced discussions to acquire Acceleron Pharma ($XLRN), with the deal potentially being announced this week if talks do not break down, the WSJ reported. https://on.wsj.com/3F7QtzV . Recall shares of XLRN rose yesterday after Bloomberg had reported is in advanced discussions to be acquired by a large pharmaceutical company for about $180 a share in cash https://bloom.bg/3ANfEVx Aurora Cannabis Inc. ($ACB) Q4 revenue C$54.8M vs. est. C$56.3M and vs. C$68.4M last year; Q4 adjusted EBITDA (C$19.3M) vs. (C$33.3M) last year; business transformation plan on track; reiterates annual cost savings of $60M-$80M; qtrly medical cannabis net revenue was $35.0M, a 9% increase from prior year period; qtrly adjusted Ebitda loss, excluding restructuring costs, narrows to $13.9M Pfizer ($PFE) phase 1 randomized study of MRNA-based next generation flu vaccine program will take place in united states Ziopharm Oncology ($ZIOP) announces strategic reduction in workforce and extension in cash runway AstraZeneca PLC ($AZN) said that Saphnelo has been approved in Japan for the treatment of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, who show an insufficient response to standard treatment. Biogen ($BIIB) and Eisai ($ESALY) initiated a rolling submission to the U.S. FDA of a Biologics License Application for lecanemab, the company’s investigational anti-amyloid beta protofibril antibody, for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease Sanofi ($SNY) announces positive interim results from a Phase 1/2 study of its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Technology, Media & Telecom Charter Communications ($CHTR) subsidiaries Charter Communications Operating, LLC and Charter Communications Operating Capital Corp. have priced $4B of notes in three tranches. Microchip ($MCHP) downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Wells Fargo Sirius XM ($SIRI) upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, is suing Activision Blizzard (ATVI) over claims that it fostered a toxic work environment defined by sexual misconduct and discrimination

Top Earnings Mon 9/27 Aft: $ACB $AYTU $CNXC $GLBS $IPW $PUYI . Top Earnings Tu 9/28 Pre: $COE $DAVA $FDS $FHS $INFO $SNX $THO $UNFI

Monday, September 27, 2021 Futures Up/Down % Last Dow 91.00 0.26% 34,765 S&P 500 1.25 0.03% 4,447 Nasdaq -48.50 0.32% 15,270 U.S. stock futures are looking higher, led by the energy complex after WTI crude tops $75 for the first time since July and Brent crude hitting 3-year highs following a massive stock market recovery late last week as fears about China Evergrande Group ‘s debt crisis issues waned and investors bet on further economic reopening from the pandemic. Despite the Chinese property developer missing a bond coupon payment, the S&P 500 still finished the week up 0.5% (though U.S. listed China stocks fell sharply on the week). Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the U.S. economy has recovered sufficiently for the central bank to potentially announce the start of bond-purchase tapering at its next meeting, which failed to dent investor optimism, even as Treasury yields and the dollar rallied as the FOMC pushed up its timeline for interest rate hikes. In Asian markets, The Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.8%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.1%. The Nikkei Index was down slightly at 30,240, the Shanghai Index dipped -30 points to 3,583 and the Hang Seng Index edged higher 16 points to 24,208. In Europe, the German DAX rises following election results, up around 100-points (0.6%) at 15,625, while the FTSE 100 is up slightly above 7,060. Oil futures rise with WTI crude oil futures topping $75 a barrel for the first time since July, amid an escalating energy crunch across Europe and now China. Energy is the clear premarket leader among the S&P sectors, most of which are higher. Materials and Info Tech are slightly lower. Treasury yields are moving to their best levels since late June, with the benchmark 10-year yield above 1.49% and the 30-year topping 2%, extending last week gains which saw the largest one-week yield gain since June 25, as it rose nearly 8 basis points. The 10-year was yielding 1.495%, up from 1.454%. Markets await data on new U.S. orders for durable goods in August at 8:30 AM ET. Market Closing Prices Yesterday The S&P 500 Index gained 6.50 points, or 0.15%, to 4,455.48 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 33.18 points, or 0.10%, to 34,798.00 The Nasdaq Composite slipped -4.54 points, or 0.03%, to 15,047.70 The Russell 2000 Index declined -10.97 points, or 0.49% to 2,248.07 Events Calendar for Today 8:30 AM ET Durable Goods Orders for Aug 8:30 AM ET Durable Goods Ex: Transportation for Aug 10:30 AM ET Dallas Fed Manufacturing for Sept 1:00 PM ET U.S. to sell $61 bln 5-year notes 1:00 PM ET U.S. to sell $60 bln 2-year notes Earnings Calendar: Earnings Before the Open: $AYTU, $IBIO, $SANW Earnings After the Close: $CNXC Other Key Events: BMO Capital Washington DC Property Tour, 9/27-9/28 Cantor Global Healthcare Conference (virtual), 9/27-9/30 Macro Up/Down Last Nymex 1.08 75.06 Brent 1.16 79.25 Gold -1.15 1,749.25 EUR/USD -0.0019 1.1701 JPY/USD 0.22 110.95 10-Year Note +0.03 1.491% World News House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged to pass a $550 billion infrastructure bill this week and signaled that the headline amount on a bigger package of spending and tax measures will be lowered from $3.5 trillion German inflation is likely to accelerate from already high levels and will stay above 2% through mid-2022, exceeding the European Central Bank’s target for the 19-nation euro zone, the Bundesbank said in a monthly report on Monday Widening power shortages in China have halted production at numerous factories including many supplying Apple and Tesla. On Monday, State Grid Corp pledged to ensure basic power supply and avoid electricity cuts. China’s power crunch, caused by tight coal supplies and toughening emissions standards, has hurt production in industries across several regions – Dow Jones Sector News Breakdown Consumer Scotts Miracle-Gro ($SMG) mentioned positively in Barron’s saying the co has a dominant franchise in the consumer lawn and garden market, and it has a fast-growing hydroponics business catering mainly to the marijuana industry. Scotts has seen its stock fall over 40% from an April high to a recent $146 on lower consumer demand in 2022 and narrower profit margins concerns but yet the stock looks inexpensive Lordstown Motors ($RIDE) downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs Tesla’s ($TSLA) Shanghai factory is expected to produce 300,000 cars in the first nine months of the year, despite a global semiconductor shortage, Reuters reported Gores Guggenheim Inc ($GGPI) rises after Swedish electric car maker Polestar agrees to go public through merger with GGPI, at a valuation of $20 bln including debt https://bit.ly/3udy8fD Energy, Industrials and Materials Lockheed Martin ($LMT) was awarded a $1.1B modification to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive advance acquisition contract. Piedmont Lithium ($PLL) files automatic mixed securities shelf BP plc ($BP) says panic buying has caused 30% of its 1,200 gasoline stations in the U.K. to run out of the two main grades of fuel. Healthcare Acceleron Pharma Inc. ($XLRN) is in advanced discussions to be acquired by a large pharmaceutical company for about $180 a share in cash, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported late Friday https://bloom.bg/3ANfEVx Pfizer ($PFE), Opko ($OPK) said late Friday the FDA extended the review period for the biologics license application for somatrogon SeaSpine Holdings Corp. ($SPNE) said late Friday it expects its total revenue for q3 of 2021 to grow in mid-single digit range; said it is unable to confirm its prior revenue guidance for q4 and full-year 2021 at this time Syndax Pharmaceuticals ($SNDX) and Incyte ($INCY) announce global collaboration to develop and commercialize axatilimab for chronic graft-versus-host disease and other fibrotic diseases; Syndax to receive $152 million in cash ($117 million upfront plus a $35 million equity investment, with potential for $450 million in additional milestone payments) ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (ASLN) shares fall after announcing data conclusively establishing proof of concept for ASLAN004 in atopic dermatitis; said topline data from multiple-ascending-dose study supports a potentially differentiated safety and efficacy profile. ASLAN004 achieved a statistically significant improvement vs. placebo in the primary efficacy endpoint of percent change from baseline in EASI with significant improvements in other efficacy endpoints Astellas Pharma ($ALPMY) and Seagen ($SGEN) announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has approved PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin) for radically unresectable urothelial carcinoma that has progressed after anti-cancer chemotherapy. Technology, Media & Telecom Google ($GOOGL), seeking to overturn the EU’s $5B antitrust decision from 2018, is arguing that its Android operating system for mobile devices has boosted competition rather than stifled it – WSJ Several Apple ($AAPL) and Tesla ($TSLA) suppliers have halted production at some of their Chinese facilities to comply with Beijing’s tighter energy consumption policy, putting supply-chain continuity at risk during a peak season for electronics goods including the latest iPhones. – Nikkei reports https://s.nikkei.com/3m1F7EF Vizio ($VZIO) a positive mention in Barron’s saying stock buyers should consider newly public Vizio, which completed upfront advertising negotiations with more than $100 million in commitments, up fourfold from last year com’s ($AMZN) Whole Foods Market is implementing a grocery delivery fee across the U.S., rolling back a perk the retailer had offered for paying Prime members since it began offering home delivery from the organic grocer

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Futures Up/Down % Last Dow 50.00 0.15% 33,885 S&P 500 2.50 0.06% 4,239 Nasdaq 14.75 0.10% 14,273 Markets are looking modestly higher in the U.S., tracking gains in Europe and Asia as investors appear at ease over the inflation picture after Federal Reserve Chairman Powell reiterated yesterday in testimony to Congress that a spike in inflation likely was temporary, easing worries that the central bank could pull back on economic support. Stocks closed higher on Tuesday as the Nasdaq posted a record closing high, boosted by shares of large cap tech as Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple paced the gains in a further rotation into growth stocks. Amazon produced over $5.6 billion in total online sales in the United States on the first day of its Prime promotional event, according to Adobe Digital Economy Index. Helping boost markets further, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reaffirmed the U.S. central bank’s view during his testimony to Congress on the U.S. economy to not to raise interest rates too quickly based on the fear of coming inflation. Most of the 11 major S&P sector indexes rose, with consumer discretionary and energy among the biggest gainers, erasing most of last week’s market declines. In Asian markets, The Nikkei Index slipped -9 points to 28,874, the Shanghai Index rose 8 points to 3,566, and the Hang Seng Index jumped 507 points to 28,817. In Europe, the German DAX is down -75 points to 15,560, while the FTSE 100 is up 20 points to 7,110. Oil rises back above $75 as API weekly data shows stockpiles drop/shows tight market; Bitcoin rebounds 7% to $34,000, a more than $5,000 move off yesterday lows, having plunged more than 50% from its all-time highs above $65,000 in mid-April; Treasury yields remains little changed/tight range as 10-year at 1.475%. Market Closing Prices Yesterday The S&P 500 Index gained 21.65 points, or 0.51%, to 4,246.44 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 68.61 points, or 0.20%, to 33,945.58 The Nasdaq Composite jumped 111.79 points, or 0.79%, to 14,253.27 The Russell 2000 Index advanced 111.79 points, or 0.43% to 2,295.95 Events Calendar for Today 7:00 AM ET MBA Mortgage Applications Data 9:45 AM ET Markit Composite flash PMI, June 9:45 AM ET Markit Manufacturing Services PMI, June…est. 61.5 10:00 AM ET New Home Sales MoM for May…est. 870K 10:30 AM ET Weekly DOE Inventory Data Earnings Calendar: Earnings Before the Open: $PDCO, $WGO Earnings After the Close: $CNXC, $FUL, $KBH, $SCS Other Key Events: BMO Capital 2021 Chemical & Packaging Conference (virtual), 6/23 Goldman Sachs 17th Business Services, Transport & Leisure Conference (virtual), 6/21-6/23 Raymond James Human Health Innovation Conference (virtual), 6/21-6/23 Roth London Conference (virtual), 6/21-6/23 Jefferies Consumer Conference (virtual), 6/22-6/23 JPMorgan 2021 Energy, Power & Renewables Conference (virtual), 6/22-6/23 JPMorgan Payment & FinTech Forum (virtual), 6/23-6/24 Sidoti Investor Conference (virtual), 6/23-6/24 Macro Up/Down Last Nymex 0.45 73.30 Brent 0.55 75.36 Gold 4.30 1,783.005 EUR/USD 0.0006 1.1946 JPY/USD 0.34 110.99 10-Year Note +0.003 1.475% Sector News Breakdown Consumer Xpeng ($XPEV) shares rise upon on receiving approval to list on Hong Kong stock exchange; the company could raise as much as $2B in Hong Kong as soon as this year Energy, Industrials and Materials The American Petroleum Institute ($API) showed a draw of 7.2M barrels of oil in the latest week, gasoline inventories show a build of 959K barrels, distillate inventories show a build of 992K barrels and Cushing inventories show a draw of 2.55M barrels. Clean Energy Fuels ($CLNE) said it contributed $50M to its 50-50 joint venture with BP Plc ($BP) and forced the conversion of BP’s Class B units into Class A units. Parker-Hannifin (PH) upgraded to Overweight from Sector Weight at KeyBanc United Rentals ($URI) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citi Financials IHS Markit ($INFO) Q2 adj EPS 81c vs. est. 80c; Q2 revs $1.18B vs. est. $1.13B; raises FY21 adjusted EPS view to $3.15-$3.17 from $3.11-$3.16 (est. $3.16), ups FY21 revenue view to $4.635B-$4.675B from $4.535B-$4.635B (est. $4.6B) and boosts FY21 adj EBITDA view to $2.02B-$2.03B from $2B-$2.03B Global Self Storage ($SELF)12M share Spot Secondary priced at $5.35 Intercontinental Exchange ($ICE) upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman Sachs LPL Financial ($LPLA) downgraded to Buy from Conviction Buy at Goldman Sachs Healthcare BioXcel Therapeutics Inc ($BTAI) launches $100M stock offering with $15M overallotment option on behalf of related stockholder Enanta Pharmaceuticals ($ENTA) says announced positive data from the first two dose cohorts of its Phase 1b study of EDP-514 in viremic chronic HBV patients who were not being treated with a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor Gemini Therapeutics ($GMTX) announces initial data from its ongoing phase 2a study of gem103 in patients with geographic atrophy secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration GlaxoSmithKline PLC ($GSK) said that it expects growth in sales and adjusted operating profit over the next five years to be underpinned by new vaccines and specialty medicines, as it set targets for the medium and l-t following planned 2022 demerger of its consumer healthcare business. Hologic ($HOLX) has received CE mark for its new Aptima CMV Quant assay in Europe, the company announced United Therapeutics Corp. ($UTHR) and Medtronic Inc. ($MDT) have agreed to stop further efforts to develop and commercialize the implantable system for Remodulin, or ISR; the companies plan to wind down the development program and to support patients already enrolled in clinical studies of the ISR at United Therapeutics’ sole expense Second Sight ($EYES) 10M share Spot Secondary priced at $5.00 Teva Pharmaceuticals ($TEVA) announced its U.S. launch of the first generic version of twice daily PERFOROMIST, formoterol fumarate inhalation solution, 20 mcg/2 ML, indicated to treat bronchoconstriction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema Technology, Media & Telecom Intel Corp. ($INTC) said it would create two new business units that would focus separately on software and high-performance computing and graphics; also said current executives Sandra Rivera and Raja Koduri will take on new senior leadership roles, while technology industry veterans Nick McKeown and Greg Lavender will join Intel. Corning ($GLW) said midday yesterday it is increasing its display glass substrate prices for Q3 “moderately” due to higher logistics and materials costs and other operational expenses during the extended glass shortage Bentley Systems ($BSY) announces offering of $500M of convertible senior notes Sprinklr ($CXM)625M share IPO priced at $16.00

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