Fun Fact: If the S&P 500 closes higher today, then it will be 17 up Mondays in the last 18 weeks.

Covid-19 Update With Latest Data

Cases reported 38,234 from 43,245 cases.

Tests 611,377 from 635,605

Positivity Rate 6.25% from  6.80%

Deaths 527 from 1,117

Hospitalizations 39,,030 from 41,968

Mortality Rate at 2.97% from 3.00%

source COVID tracking project

Capital Raises

IPOs Priced: None of note.

Secondaries Priced: MHK of note.

Notes Priced of note:  None of note.

Common Stock filings: MHK  of note.

Mixed Shelf Offerings: FLO QTNT of note.

Convertible Offering Files:  None of note.

Senior Notes Filed: None of note.

Courtesy of IPO Financial

Earnings After The Close:

Beats:

None of note.

Misses:

None of note.

Flat:

News After The Close:

Faro Tech (FARO) buys Advanced Technical Solutions out of Sweden.

House passes $25 billion funding bill for the U.S. Postal Service.

Churchill Downs (CHDN) updates their plans for the Kentucky Derby.

Fitch downgrades Turkey to BB-.

Barron’s + on SYNA NKE WMT TGT TJX GM 

President Trump on Saturday accused the FDA as being part of the “Deep State” and moves slowly on therapeutics.

President Trump held a press conference on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. EDT to approve via the Emergency  Use Authorization the deployment of Blood Plasma from Covid-19 victims as a therapeutic.

Raises Guidance: 

Lowers Guidance: 

Mixed Guidance: 

Raises Dividend: LOW

Cut Dividend:

Special Dividend: CWH UHAL 

Stock Split Announcement: 

Stock Buyback: GL W

10Q Delays: 

Hourly Action: This week sees strength early and weakness late. 8/21 updated.

What’s Happening This Morning: Futures value reflects the change with fair value. We will still indicate the fair value direction.

S&P 500 +28 Dow Jones Industrial Average +257 NASDAQ +131 Russell 2000 +17.82. Fair values are higher. Asia higher and Europe higher. VIX November futures are at 25.10 from 26.25  this morning. Current VIX is at 22.47 from 22.52.

Gold, silver and copper higher. WTI Crude Oil and Brent Oil Futures higher. Natural Gas is lower. $ is lower vs Euro, lower vs Pound and lower vs Yen. US 10 year Treasury price is at $139.53 from $139.61 with yields at 0.64% from 0.636%.

Positive Sectors On Thursday:  Technology, Consumer Cyclical and Utilities of note.

Negative Sectors On Thursday: Materials, Energy and Commincation Services of note.

One Month Winners: Industrials, Consumer Cyclical and Consumer Defensive of note.

Three Month Winners: Consumer Cyclical, Technology and Industrials of note.

Six Month Winners: Consumer Cyclical, Technology, Materials and Healthcare of note.

Twelve Month Winners: Technology, Consumer Cyclical and Communication Services of note.

Year to Date: Technology, Consumer Cyclical, Healthcare and Communication Services of note.

Upcoming Earnings Of (sorted by market cap, highest to lowest)

Today After The Close:  PANW SXI ANAB HTZ of note.

Tuesday Morning: MDT BNS BMO HRL BBY SJM ATHM PINC HAIN SINA AMWD PLCE of note.

Gap Up: TRVN +8%, TLSA +5%, PLX +4%

Gap Down: MWK -15%, GRWG -8%

Earnings This Morning Of Note

Beat:

None of note.

Missed:

None of note.

Still to Report: 

Erlanger Research Advance/Decline Line Chart – The trend is becoming pretty obvious. Close 8/24.

Courtesy of Phil Erlanger Research Inc.

Rags & Mags: Highlighted Stories may be clicked through to the original story. 

5 Things to Know Before The Market Opens Today. (CNBC)

Stocks Making The Biggest Moves. (CNBC)

Coronavirus Update: 172 countries in on a global vaccine plan. (CNBC)

Tropical Storms Macro and Laura head to Gulf Coast. (AP)

Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway to leave The White House to spend time with her family. (AP)

Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden notes would shut down the country again if needed. (ABC News)

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb notes that Convalescent Plasma may work and no serious side effects. (CNBC)

Companies continue to postpone dates for employees to return to offices. (WSJ)

Stock Index Trading

Current through 8/21 close. The Dow moved above its 5 and 10 day moving averages.

Bold means a change from prior day.

Algo/HFT Trading Levels:

The Erlanger Value Lines track the intraday range of resistance, pivot and support used by Algo/HFT Traders. Each day we show where we closed within the range. Updated through 8/20 close. EVL Ranges are again starting to get back to normal with the recent action, pay attention The Erlanger Value Line are available in Bloomberg for your review. Simply visit the Bloomberg App store at APP(GO) then find Erlanger Research and setup a trial.

Courtesy of Phil Erlanger Research, Inc.

Economic

None of note.

Geopolitical & Related

President Trump will  be attending the Republican Convention this week and speaking every night along with his progeny.  Today the president leaves for North Carolina and delivers remarks on Farmers to Families Food Box Program Distribution at 1:30 p.m. EDT in Mills River, NC.

Investor Events & Conference Calls

 AKTS (Investor Call) XEL (Road Show)

Sellside Conferences: BMO Capital Markets Virtual Technology Summit 2020. (8/24-8/28)

Industry Conferences: World Orphan Drug Congress 2020 (8/24-8/27) Data Center World Conference and Expo (8/24-8/27)

M&A

Bristol-Myers (BMY) to buy Forbius, should close in Q4.

Upgrades & Downgrades For Monday 8/24 –