Ebola fever has US indices wobbling

Economic Data

(BR) BRAZIL SEPT MANUFACTURING PMI: 49.3 V 50.2 PRIOR (US) Intuit reports Sep small business employment +10K jobs
(US) ADP SEPT EMPLOYMENT CHANGE: +213K V +205KE - Prior revised lower from 204K to 202K
Ford Reports Sept US sales -3.2%, at 180.2K units v 177Ke
General Motors Reports Sept US sales +19.4%, at 223K units v 229Ke
(US) SEPT ISM MANUFACTURING: 56.6 V 58.5E (lowest since June); ISM PRICES PAID: 59.5 V 57.0E Sub Indices:- New Orders Index: 60.0 v 66.7 prior - Production index: 64.6 v 64.5 prior - Employment Index: 54.6 v 58.1 prior - Inventories 51.5 v 52.0 prior- Spread (new orders to inventories): 8.5 v 14.7 prior

- In a similar pattern to yesterday's US session, stock prices opened and quickly moved to session lows. Traders are largely looking past the US ecnomic data and focusing a whole host of concerns. Safe haven flows are once again sloshing money out of equities and into the relative safety of US and German bond markets. Weak German ISM data, renewed reports of fighting in the Ukraine, swelling crowds of protesters in Hong Kong all weighed on investors' minds, but at the top of the list was the first confirmed ebola case to reach US. Key technical levels are being tested once again for many of the major US indices while the 10-year US benchmark yields is slipping back towards 2.40%.

- Treatment and prevention related names all surged into the US open after the CDC confirmed first case of Ebola has been diagnosed Texas. Travel associated companies are under notable pressure including airline, cruise, and hotel shares. Yesterday's rebound in the Macau gaming stocks has been short lived. Ebola and the continued concerns surrounding the potential spread of Chinese protests are serving as headwind yet again.

- Defensive rotations between various sectors is clearly evident in early stock trading. Utilities and gold stocks in particular are finding buyers, while small caps in general and high beta momentum is getting hit. IBB -1.5% SMH -1.4% Transports -2%

- General Motors shares are moving higher despite missing expectations with the Sep sales release. Management is offering a business update and thus far has held to their prior projections (in the wake of Ford's disappointing outlook Monday). Executives have also been upbeat on China investments and are emphasizing they still expect to return to profitability in Europe by 2016.

- The Dollar index made another new multi-year high and is holding above 86. The Euro is having a tough time keeping its head above 1.26 ahead of tomorrow's ECB meeting while the USD/JPY topped 1.10 for the first time since the summer of 2008.

Looking Ahead

11:30 (BR) Brazil weekly Currency Flows
12:00 (IT) Italy Sept New Car Registrations Y/Y: No est v -0.2% prior
13:00 (MX) Mexico IMEF Manufacturing Index: No est v 51.6 prior; Non-Manufacturing Index: No est v 52.7 prior
14:00 (BR) Brazil Sept Trade Balance: No est v $1.2B prior; Total Exports: No est v $20.5B prior; Total Imports: No est v $19.3B prior
21:30 (AU) Australia Aug Trade Balance: No est v -1.4B prior