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Monday August 24, 2015

// August 24th, 2015 // Comments Off on Monday August 24, 2015 // Daily News

Dow futures off 700 points; Nasdaq futures fall 5%, go limit down

CNBC.com

U.S. stock index futures screamed lower on Monday, with Dow futures briefly tumbling more than 700 points, as fears surrounding the health of China’s economy multiplied.
The Dow futures held about 650 points lower, with the S&P futures off about 70 points, and the Nasdaq 100 futures off about 5 percent, which marks the lower end of the price limit.
These concerns saw the benchmark Shanghai Composite index notch up its biggest one-day percentage loss since 2007 on Monday, closing down 8.5 percent.
Panic spread to European markets, with the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 as much as 3 percent in early London trading. All major bourses were off a similar amount. The index has shed over $1 trillion in market value in August so far.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index also finished at its lowest closing level since February 23, as a double whammy of China-related fears and a rejuvenated yen brought the bourse down by its biggest one-day drop in more than 2 years.
The major falls come after U.S. stocks closed deep in the red on Friday, pushing the Dow and Nasdaq into correction territory.The major averages had their biggest trade volume day of the year and posted their worst week in four years.
Oil prices crashed to fresh six and half year lows on Monday, after Chinese stock markets suffered, intensifying worries over the outlook for global oil demand.
Brent oil was trading down 4.6 percent, at $43.36 a barrel. U.S. October crude was down 4.1 percent at $38.80 a barrel

Today’s Inspiration

You Can Handle Whatever Life Hands You

by Joyce Meyer – posted August 24, 2015

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
– Romans 8:37

For years, I have pondered what being “more than a conqueror” means. I’m sure other people have other perspectives, but I have come to the conclusion that being more than a conqueror means having such confidence that no matter what comes up in your life, you know that through Christ you can handle it. You know before you are ever faced with a problem that you’re going to have victory over it.

So therefore, you don’t dread things, you don’t fear the unknown, you don’t live in anxiety about what’s going to happen in uncertain situations. It doesn’t really matter what the specifics of the situation are; you know you can handle it through Christ. For you, defeat isn’t an option!

Begin to think every day, I can handle whatever life hands me. I can do whatever I need to do in life. I am more than a conqueror. I am equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. Even before you get out of bed in the mornings, let these thoughts roll over and over in your mind, and your confidence will skyrocket and you will find that indeed, you can do whatever you need to do in life.

Right thinking is the first step toward a better life. Wishing won’t work. Being jealous of someone who has what you desire does no good. Self-pity is a waste of time and energy. Discovering God’s will through an accurate knowledge of His Word and beginning to think as He thinks is the beginning of a new life for anyone who desires one.

Trust in Him: In what specific situation do you need to believe you are more than a conqueror? Trust that through Christ, you are equal to anything.

August 20, 2015

// August 20th, 2015 // Comments Off on August 20, 2015 // Daily News

Wall Street set to sell off as oil approaches $40

CNBC.com

U.S. stock index futures indicated a sharply lower open on Thursday, with Dow futures down as much as 160 points, as oil prices extended losses and investors digested Wednesday’s Fed minutes and more volatility in Chinese markets.
Wednesday’s Fed minutes left the markets wanting, with enough nuance to keep Wall Street divided over whether the first rate hike comes in September or later.
That means the scrutiny of each piece of data, and particularly job-related or inflation data, will be intense.
In oil markets, Brent crude traded at just under $47, down more than 1 percent, while U.S. crude hovered just above $40 a barrel, recovering from a fresh six-and-a-half-year low.
Traders were also keeping an eye on a range of U.S. jobs data and China’s continuing rollercoaster ride, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite closing 3.4 percent lower, down 128.53 points.
Thursday will see initial claims data released at 8:30 a.m. ET, with existing home sales, the Philadelphia Fed survey and leading indicators all released at 10 a.m. ET.
The Philly Fed survey will be key, after the Empire State survey earlier in the week plunged to a 2009 low.
On the earnings front, Madison Square Garden, Sears Holdings and The Buckle are all expected before the bell.
Sears lost an adjusted 67 cents per share for its latest quarter, smaller than the loss of $2.50 estimated by the lone analyst providing an estimate. Profit margins improved at both the Sears and Kmart chains, but same-store sales declined.
Walt Disney—Bernstein downgraded Disney to “market perform” from “outperform,” saying valuations for media stocks need to be adjusted because of an increased risk premium regarding affiliate fees.
In Europe, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index was 1.3 percent lower, with investors taking in the latest Fed minutes and concerns over Chinese growth continuing.

Today’s Inspiration

Growing Into Maturity

by Joyce Meyer – posted August 20, 2015

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.
– 2 Corinthians 4:18

Even though Paul went through tremendous trials and tribulations, he did not become discouraged because he looked not to what was seen, but to what was unseen. We need to follow his example. Instead of looking at what we see around us, we need to look at what the Holy Spirit is doing.

He will lead us to focus on God’s answers instead of our problems. Two people can read the Word and the person with carnal, fleshly ears will hear it differently than a person with spiritual ears. For example, 3 John 2 says, Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

Less mature, carnal Christians (still lured by physical pleasures and appetites) may get excited about the promise of prosperity and healing, because that is all they hear in this verse. They think, Wow! Praise God! He wants us to prosper and be in health!

But mature believers that are sensitive to God’s holy intent for their lives will also hear the part of the verse that says, “even as…your soul keeps well and prospers.” They hear with understanding that God is going to give them prosperity and healing in correlation with how their souls are prospering. Pray that you will have ears to truly hear what God is saying and that you will grow progressively into maturity as you continue to walk with God.