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Automakers will report U.S. car and light truck sales for September. Analysts' expectations are
for another strong month overall, with forecasts of an annualized sales pace of 17.6 million, up
from 16.5 million in September 2014. Detroit automakers are expected to report continued strong
demand for trucks and sport utility vehicles. In a separate report by the Labor Department, the
initial claims for state unemployment benefits are expected to have risen by 3,000 to 270,000
for the week ended Sept. 26. (0830/1230) Meanwhile, construction spending is predicted to have
risen 0.5 percent in August. (1000/1400) Separately, Markit will announce its final
Manufacturing Purchasing Index for September after its preliminary reading of 53 earlier this
month. (0945/1345) The Institute for Supply Management's index of national factory activity is
expected to have fallen to 50.6 in September from 51.1 the month before. (1000/1400)
Chipmaker Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU) is expected to report fourth-quarter profit below estimates,
according to Thomson Reuters StarMine data. The company has been buffeted by falling prices of
chips used in computers. Micron makes both dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, used
mostly in personal computers, and NAND memory chips for storing music, pictures and other data
on smartphones, cameras and other mobile devices. But with analysts saying that the sector will
find its feet after demand picks up in the first half of 2016, investors and analysts will be
looking for any kind of positive commentary on chip prices and inventory. The company was also
the subject of a much scrutinized $23 billion takeover bid from China's Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd.
General Motors Co (NYSE:GM) will lay out its short and long-term goals for all its businesses, regions and
operations in its global business conference. In the 2014 review, GM gave a more specific
timetable for its return to profits in Europe and outlined its plans to reduce the number of
platforms on which its builds its cars and trucks globally to four from 26 over the subsequent
decade.
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams will speak on the economic outlook
before a Salt Lake Area community leaders event, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (1430/1830)
Surgery Partners Inc's IPO is expected to price in the $23-$26/share range, valuing the company
at up to $1.25 billion. The company will raise about $325 million at the mid-point of the range.
The Tennessee-based, H.I.G Capital-owned company operates 94 ambulatory surgery centers and five
hospitals in 28 states. Surgery Partners' competitors include Surgical Care Affiliates, AmSurg
Corp and United Surgical Partners International, which recently struck a merger deal with Tenet
Healthcare Corp.
Automakers will release their sales figures in Canada for September. Their performance may offer
insight into how consumers are responding to a sharp drop in the price of oil, which pushed the
Canadian economy into recession in the first half of the year. In August, total light vehicle
sales edged up 2.2 percent as General Motors' Canadian sales jumped 12 percent, Ford dropped 5
percent and Fiat Chrysler (NYSE:FCAU) edged up 0.4 percent.
Brazil is expected to post a trade surplus of $2.4 billion according to analysts, compared to a
surplus of $2.69 billion in August. Also, the Purchasing Managers' Index for the Brazilian
manufacturing sector is scheduled to be released. (0900/1300)
LIVECHAT: Marshall Gittler, Head of Global FX Strategy , Iron FX
Marshall Gittler, head of global FX strategy at Iron FX, joins the discussion on outlook for FX
markets at 0500/0900. To join the Global Markets Forum, click here http://bit.ly/1kTxdKD
(Compiled By Nayyar Rasheed in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)