Wake Up Call - Jan 29

Good Morning. The time is 9:15 a.m. and ahead of a very busy economic data slate this week, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Indices are indicating a slightly lower open Monday.

Asia:
Hang Seng Index -0.22%; Shanghai/Shenzhen 300 +2.55%; NIKKEI 225 +0.28%; BSE SENSEX 30 -0.5%; KRX 100 -0.56%; Ho Chi Minh +2.13%

U.K. & Europe:
DJ STOXX 50 Index +0.09%; FTSE 100 +0.14%; CAC 40 +0.51%; DAX +0.3%; Russian RTS Index -0.56%

KEY HEADLINE NEWS

• Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and European Central Bank Chief Jean- Claude Trichet may find that lower oil prices lead to inflation more effectively than higher prices. The concern is that the sharp drop in prices seen in January could act as a strong economic stimulus at a time when economies in Europe and the United States do not need it. We here at WSG clearly do not see a threat from prices, as we anticipate a relatively short-lived time period before prices rise again.
• Facing the many challenges of individual nationalistic goals, the WTO has been working on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to improve the efficiency of global trade. Though stumbling blocks remain, some world leaders have expressed hope for progress.
• Microsoft Vista goes on sale tonight at midnight.
• Verizon Communications Inc. said its fourth quarter profit was impacted by network investment.
• French financial newsletter La Lettre de l'Expansion broke a story today that Sanofi-Aventis may have signed a pre-merger agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb, which would create the world's largest pharmaceuticals company.
• Citigroup agreed to buy Prudential's internet bank, Egg, for $1.13 billion.
• Merrill Lynch & Co. announced it will buy First Republic Bank, a servicer of the wealthy.

We urge you to read our section within the sidebar, entitled "Headline News", for further important information for traders and investors.

You can receive "Wake Up Call" in your email inbox at the moment we publish it to the site. Just click here and provide us with your email address. We respect your privacy, and never share your information with third parties.

Check back in later this morning, as "Today's Morning Coffee" will outline in greater detail the day's activity in overseas and commodity markets, and provide economic data & analysis and stock specific news. (disclosure)