The main US equity benchmarks have begun today´s trading session with slight falls. That as some observers ask themselves just how effective the Fed´s third round of quantitative easing will really be or not.

Also weighing on sentiment may be the increasing tensions between China and Japan, and the effect which that could have on trade relations in the region.

Apple is on the rise after the company reported that pre-orders for the iPhone 5 topped two million units in the first 24 hours, twice the demand seen for the iPhone 4S last year.

Shares of Office Depot are surging 13% after activist investor Starboard unveiled a 13.3% stake in the office-supply giant, calling the company "undervalued."

Lowe´s has pulled a $1.81bn offer for its Canadian rival Rona.

Waste Connections will pay $1.3bn for various subsidiaries of R360 Environmental Solutions.

Analysts at Stiefel Nicolaus have downgraded their recommendation on shares of Wells Fargo to hold from buy.

Weaker than expected manufacturing data



The New York Fed´s regional manufacturing gauge for the month of September has fallen to -10 points (Consensus: -2) from -5.85 in August.



Treasuries rise after Empire State survey

10 year US Treasuries are now gaining 7/32 dollars, with yields at 1.85%.

Front month West Texas crude futures are now rising by 0.25% to the 99.29 dollar per barrel mark on the NYMEX.



AB

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