OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS

March E-mini S&Ps (ESH16 +0.23%) are down -0.08% at a 3-1/2 month low and European stocks are down -2.67% at a 13-month low on global growth concerns. As expected, the BOE maintained its benchmark interest rate at 0.50% and kept its asset purchase target at 375 billion pounds following the conclusion of today’s monetary policy meeting. U.S. stock index futures recovered from their worst levels as JPMorgan Chase climbed over +1% in pre-market trading after it reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings. Asian stocks settled mostly lower: Japan -2.68%, Hong Kong -0.59%, China +1.97%, Taiwan -1.04%, Australia -1.57%, Singapore -1.93%, South Korea -0.92%, India -0.33%. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Index dropped to a 3-1/2 month low as it followed Wednesday’s losses in U.S. stocks, although China’s Shanghai Composite erased early losses and recovered from a 4-1/2 month low and closed higher on signs of increased government efforts to prop up shares after state funds entered the market to buy stocks and after Chinese stock exchanges vowed to step up monitoring of share sales by companies’ major shareholders.

The dollar index (DXY00 -0.16%) is down -0.28%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is up +0.37%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.05%.

Mar T-note prices (ZNH16 -0.07%) are up +3.5 ticks on increased safe-haven demand as stocks falter along with reduced inflation expectations after the 10-year T-note breakeven inflation rate tumbled to a 3-1/2 month low.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission said the forthcoming registration system for initial public offerings won’t lead to an oversupply of new shares.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) weekly initial unemployment claims (expected -2,000 to 275,000, previous -10,000 to 277,000) and continuing claims (expected -20,000 to 2.210 million, previous +25,000 to 2.230 million), (2) Dec import price index (expected -1.4% m/m and -8.4% y/y, Nov -0.4% m/m and -9.4% y/y), (3) St. Louis Fed President James Bullard’s speech to the Economic Club of Memphis, and (4) the Treasury’s auction of $13 billion 30-year T-bonds.