OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS

Mar E-mini S&Ps (ESH17 +0.20%) are up +0.20% and European stocks are up +0.30% on improved prospects for global growth after Japan’s Cabinet Office hiked its Japanese 2017 GDP forecast. Also, energy producing stocks are higher with the price of Feb WTI crude (CLG17 +0.53%) up +0.62%. Crude oil prices are higher on expectations that Wednesday’s EIA data will show U.S. crude stockpiles fell for a fifth week, trimming an inventory glut. Asian stocks settled mixed: Japan +0.53%, Hong Kong -0.47%, China -0.49%, Taiwan +0.03%, Australia +0.52%, Singapore -0.06%, South Korea +0.25%, India -0.25%. China’s Shanghai Composite fell to a 1-1/2-month low on concern over capital outflows with the yuan just above Friday’s 8-1/2 year low against the dollar. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Index rose to the highest in a year as exporter stocks rallied after the yen weakened when the BOJ said it will maintain its asset-purchase program.

The dollar index (DXY00 +0.34%) is up +0.27%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.20%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.72% after the BOJ kept its yield-curve and asset-purchase programs unchanged, while Japan’s Cabinet Office cut its Japan CPI estimate for next year.

Mar 10-year T-note prices (ZNH17 -0.15%) are down -4 ticks.

The BOJ kept its rate on bank reserves at -0.1% and reiterated its pledge to keep the yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond at around 0% following today’s policy meeting.

Japan’s Cabinet Office raised its Japan 2017 GDP forecast to 1.5%, up from a Jul estimate of +1.2%, and said Japan 2017 CPI will climb 1.1%, down from a Jul estimate of 1.4%.

German Nov PPI rose +0.3% m/m and +0.1% y/y, stronger than expectations of +0.1% m/m and -0.2% y/y with the +0.1% y/y gain the first year-on-year increase in 3-1/3 years.

U.S. STOCK PREVIEW

Key U.S. news today includes: (1) no economic reports or Fed speakers scheduled.

Russell 1000 earnings reports today include: Carnival (consensus $0.58), Valspar (1.49), Darden Restaurants (0.64), General Mills (0.86), Factset (1.70), CarMax (0.70), FedEx (2.91), NIKE (0.43), Patheon (0.38).