Investing.com -- The specter of deflation in China rears its ugly head, and the manufacturing slowdown shows no sign of ending in Japan and Europe. Plus there's trouble in IPO world, as WeWork's deal comes under pressure. Here are the top 5 things you need to know in financial markets on Tuesday, 10th September.
- Gloomy data, China noises
The risk of China exporting deflation to the rest of the world is on the rise. Figures released overnight showed Chinese producer prices fell at their fastest rate in three years in August, underlining the problems faced by a manufacturing sector largely dependent on access to the U.S. market.
Also, Japan said that orders to machine tool makers fell by 37% on the year, the lowest since 2009, in another reflection of how the prevailing uncertainty around trade and Brexit is hammering business investment. French and Italian industrial production data for July, released earlier, also fell short of forecasts.
At 10 AM ET, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its JOLTS job opening survey for July, which will add some incremental insight into a labor market that appeared to be running out of workers in the government’s official report for August last week.
- Stocks set to open lower
Wall Street is set for a lower opening after the largely gloomy data from Asia and Europe reminded markets that the global slowdown is still very much a thing.
By 6 AM ET (1000 GMT), Dow futures were down 39 points or 0.1%, while S&P 500 Futures were down 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 Futures were also down 0.2%, against a backdrop of increasing U.S. regulatory scrutiny of Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB).
However, haven assets aren’t faring any better. Both bonds and gold are selling off slightly, after explosive rallies in recent weeks. The 30-year Treasury yield was at 2.11%, while gold futures lost ground for a fourth straight day to $1,502.65 an ounce.
Citigroup (NYSE:C) and other financials will be in focus later after the company said on Monday it expected a drop in trading income in the third quarter.
- WeWork IPO under threat; Aramco’s moves forward
One of the year’s biggest IPOs may be about to be pulled. The We Company, parent of loss-making office space provider WeWork, is under pressure from Softbank, its biggest external backer, to postpone an initial public offering that was supposed to take place this month.
Reports have indicated that marketing for the IPO was supposed to start this week, but have been snagged by valuation and governance concerns.
However, another much-hyped offering looks a big step closer after Saudi Aramco’s chief executive Amin Nasser told a conference that banks to lead the offering will be chosen “soon.” The bad news for U.S. investors is that Aramco, the world’s most profitable company, is due to be listed only in Riyadh to start with, followed by a foreign listing – most likely in Tokyo – at an unspecified later date.
Read More: Will Oil Markets Finally Be On The Side Of The New Saudi Minister?
- Boris thwarted, again
The British pound consolidated recent gains after the U.K. House of Commons thwarted Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to hold a general election before the country’s scheduled departure from the EU on Oct. 31.
The defeat – Johnson’s sixth in parliament in little more than a week – further reduces the chance of a disorderly Brexit in the fall, although popular discontent at the arcane maneuvering in parliament still means that Johnson could emerge the winner from an election when it is finally held.
Analysts at JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) told clients in a note that: "The only options we regard as ultimately viable are for the Prime Minister to present a deal to the Commons and secure approval for it, resign and let someone else make the extension request as PM, or back away from his stated position. At this point, our view is that resignation is the most likely of these three."
The opposition-led bill requiring Johnson to ask the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline if he can't secure a transitional deal entered into law on Monday. Data released earlier showed the U.K. labor market holding up surprisingly well, suggesting that the U.K. will avoid entering recession in the third quarter.
- PG&E proposes reorganization plan
California-based utility Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE:PCG) presented a plan to settle billions of dollars in wildfire-related claims and exit bankruptcy next year and escape its creditors.
The preliminary proposal envisages raising billions in debt and equity to cover fire damages and emerge from bankruptcy court by June 2020, according to The Wall Street Journal. But PG&E’s liabilities from years of fires are still uncertain and the company hasn’t decided on exactly how it will raise the money, the WSJ, citing papers filed with the relevant court.