The Market In 5 Minutes: 2018 Predictions, Ant Financial-Moneygram Rejected, Trump Touts 'Bigger, More Powerful' Nuclear Button

IN THE NEWS

Now that 2018 is finally here, everyone on Wall Street is making predictions about what the market will bring this year: Link

Despite early fears, it turned out 2017 was a pretty hot year for marijuana stocks: Link

Foreign makers of products including washing machines and solar panels are ramping up shipments to the U.S. ahead of government decisions on whether to erect new barriers, trade data show: Link $

One of the biggest names in Silicon Valley is placing a moonshot bet on bitcoin: Link $

North Korea reopened a long-closed border hotline with South Korea on Wednesday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to mock the North’s leader by saying he has a “bigger and more powerful” nuclear button than he does: Link

Ant Financial’s plan to acquire U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram International Inc (NASDAQ: MGI) collapsed on Tuesday after a U.S. government panel rejected it over national security concerns: Link

After seven years of preparation, $2 billion in compliance costs and one false start, the biggest shake-up to European regulation in a decade is finally here. With so much at stake, investors are likely to sit on their hands for now: Link

Germany’s unemployment rate fell to a record low as the number of people out of work slid for a sixth month, reflecting a boom in Europe’s largest economy that could push up wages and inflation: Link

ECONOMIC DATA

• Data on motor vehicle sales for December will be released today.
• US MBA mortgage applications w.e. 29 Dec +0.7% vs -4.9%
• Redbook Reports US Retail Sales During Dec. Up 0.3% MoM, Up 4.3% YoY
• The ISM manufacturing index for December is schedule for release at 10:00 a.m. ET.
• Data on construction spending for November will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET.
• The Federal Open Market Committee will issue minutes of its latest meeting at 2:00 p.m. ET.

ANALYST RATINGS

• Wells Fargo upgraded Ulta (NASDAQ: ULTA) from Market Perform to Outperform
• RBC upgraded IBM (NYSE: IBM) from Sector Perform to Outperform
• Wells Fargo upgraded Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) from Market Perform to Outperform
• Longbow downgraded Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) from Neutral to Underperform
• RBC downgraded Macerich (NYSE: MAC) from Outperform to Sector Perform
• Wells Fargo downgraded TJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) from Outperform to Market Perform

This is a tool used by the Benzinga News Desk each trading day — it's a look at everything happening in the market, in five minutes. To get the full version of this note every morning, click here.