Morning Market Report 12/31/2014

The KUIK Morning Market Report for Wednesday, December 31:
Markets are down.
Index Direction Change Units Time Change
Dow Up                     35 points           18,018 7:15 AM
S&P500 Up 0.1% percent            2,083             2.64
Nasdaq Composite Up 0.3% percent            4,792            14.74
30 Year Treasury Down                      (1) Basis Points              2.75 Annual Yield
The Labor Department reports new claims for unemployment benefits rose 17,000 to  298,000 in the week ended December 27 up from a revised 281,000 the week before. Economists expected a seasonally adjusted 290,000. Continuing claims fell by 53,000 to a seasonally adjusted 2.35 million in the week ended December 20. That is near a 14 year low.
Manufacturing is falling in China.  The final reading of the HSBC Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, fell to 49.6 in December down from 50 in November. Below 50 indicates contraction. The Chinese economy grew at its slowest rate in more than five years in the third quarter, with a year-over-year expansion of 7.3%, and for the full year could fall below the government target of 7.5%.
February crude fell 2.2% to 52.93 a barrel on the New York Merc, pushed down by that China news.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for 1360 KUIK.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-jobless-claims-jump-to-298000-highest-since-thanksgiving-2014-12-31?link=MW_home_latest_news
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-hsbc-manufacturing-pmi-slips-in-december-2014-12-30-224855735
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-heads-south-as-supply-worries-persist-2014-12-31?dist=beforebell
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