Wall Street ends up for second day on strong auto sales - 1NT3RN4TNL

By Caroline Valetkevitch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks jumped for a second day on Wednesday, retracing most of last week's Syria-related losses as the strongest monthly U.S. auto sales figures in almost six years added to optimism about the economy.

Financials and technology led gains on the S&P 500 along with the consumer discretionary sector, with shares of Ciena jumping 13.5 percent to $23.48 on four times its average daily volume after an upbeat revenue forecast. Shares of Juniper Networks rose 5.8 percent to $20.57, while shares of Cisco gained 1.6 percent to $23.85.

Insurers also climbed, including Hartford Financial , up 1.8 percent at $30.75.

The auto data follows upbeat U.S. economic data on Monday, including that the U.S. manufacturing sector grew last month at its fastest pace in more than two years, which helped to support the view the Federal Reserve may soon slow its stimulus program.

Shares of Ford and General Motors jumped after they reported sales that beat analysts' expectations, and an index of automakers was up 2.8 percent.

The auto sales data pointed to the industry's strongest month since just before the start of the 2007-2009 recession.

"If these sales numbers are the best in six years, that points to an improving economy and that's helping the market," said Stephen Massocca, managing director at Wedbush Equity Management LLC in San Francisco.

The S&P 500 is up 1.3 percent for the week so far after a loss of 1.8 percent last week, which was tied largely to worries over Syria. The index is on track to close above its 100-day moving average for the first time since August 26.

Investors remained focused on whether there would be a Western-led military attack against Syria following a suspected chemical weapons attack on its civilians.

A clearer picture on a U.S. military move in Syria is expected after Congress votes on measures to authorize a strike in several days, though top Republicans on Monday voiced support for U.S. President Barack Obama's call for military strikes against the country.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 117.76 points, or 0.79 percent, at 14,951.72. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 15.39 points, or 0.94 percent, at 1,655.16. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 36.94 points, or 1.02 percent, at 3,649.55.

The S&P 500 has surpassed its 100-day moving average in each of the past four sessions, but hasn't closed above it.

"I would expect that most indices would probably breach the (100-day moving averages) in the short term," said Bruce Zaro, chief technical strategist at Delta Global Asset Management in Boston.

Shares of Micron Tech and SanDisk Corp rose after a fire at a plant operated by rival SK Hynix . Micron was up 5.3 percent at $14.75 while shares of SanDisk were up 2.9 percent at $56.88.

Shares of Ford were up 3.7 percent at $16.95 while GM shares were up 4.7 percent at $35.75.

Among decliners, H&R Block Inc reported an adjusted quarterly loss Tuesday that was wider than expected, sending shares down 1 percent to $27.60.

(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Nick Zieminski)

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Cina Larang Uang Rakyat Dipakai untuk Beli Hadiah - ( 1NT3RN4TNL )

TEMPO.CO,  Beijing  -  Badan Kehormatan Partai Komunis Cina (CPC) mengedarkan larangan bagi para pejabat untuk mengadakan jamuan makan atau memberikan hadiah-hadiah mewah menjelang Festival Pertengahan Musim Gugur, atau tradisi pengucapan syukur negara itu.

“Selama festival, dilarang keras mengirim kue bulan dan hadiah-hadiah dengan uang publik. Jamuan mewah, bepergian, program kebugaran, dan hiburan kelas atas juga tidak boleh menggunakan dana publik,” demikian bunyi edaran tersebut kemarin.

Pernyataan itu dirilis oleh Pengawas Disiplin Pengurus Pusat CPC dan tim pembimbing kampanye “hubungan masyarakat.” Kampanye satu tahun itu diluncurkan pada Juni lalu oleh para pemimpin Cina untuk mendekatkan para pejabat dan anggota CPC dengan rakyat, sambil membenahi cara kerja yang tidak disukai masyarakat Cina, seperti formalitas, birokrasi, hedonisme, dan pemborosan.

Festival Pertengahan Musim Gugur, dengan tradisi hidangan kue bulan, pada tahun ini jauh pada 19 September. Tradisi pemberian hadiah dan perjamuan menjadi kebiasaan yang dilakukan selama masa liburan Hari Nasional pada awal Oktober mendatang. “Departemen dan pejabat atasan harus menghentikan kebiasaan perayaan mewah dan berani bertindak, sambil memberi lewat diri sendiri,” demikian isi edaran itu.

Menurut dokumen tersebut, memberikan bonus dan hadiah yang tidak perlu dalam rangka perayaan itu benar-benar dilarang. Edaran itu juga menyatakan akan menghukum setiap pelanggar aturan.

Larangan tersebut merupakan bagian dari upaya Presiden Xi Jinping melawan korupsi dan pemborosan yang dilakukan para pejabat pemerintah.

Selain menjadi momen bagi keluarga untuk berkumpul, Festival Pertengahan Musim Gugur dimanfaatkan sebagai ajang memberikan hadiah. Dalam beberapa tahun terakhir, pemberian hadiah kue bulan dengan kemasan mewah memang marak di Cina.

Kue bulan terbuat dari adonan yang diisi kuning telur bebek asing dengan pasta biji teratai. Namun seringkali kue itu dikemas dengan taburan perhiasan, sehingga harganya mencapai ribuan yuan.  Paket kue bulan yang mahal biasanya mencakup teh berkualitas tinggi, anggur, amplop berisi uang tunai, atau kupon barang-barang mewah, sehingga kerap menjadi cara penyuapan terselubung.

Tahun lalu, pemerintah Cina mulai memperketat aturan tentang kemasan hadiah dan melarang peredaran barang-barang non-kue bulan dalam kemasan berlabel »kue bulan”.

XINHUANET | CNN | NATALIA SANTI

Terhangat:

Jalan Soeharto | Siapa Sengman | Polwan Jelita

Baca juga:

Jokowi Siap Hadapi Gugatan Buruh

Evaluasi Kinerja Karyawan Boleh Dibuka

Haji Lulung: Ahok Jangan Celetak-celetuk Slengean

Jaksa Selidiki Korupsi di Acara Anang-Ashanty

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Futures point to flat open, Syria still main focus - 1NT3RN4TNL

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed Wednesday as a Western military strike against Syria appeared more likely, though a decision over it remained several days away.

The odds for military action had appeared to ebb over the weekend after U.S. President Barack Obama said he would seek Congressional authorization for a strike. While Congress won't vote until it returns from its summer recess on September 9, key congressional figures back the plan, suggesting approval may be more likely.

Secretary of State John Kerry said any resolution approving military force would prohibit "boots on the ground," suggesting that a strike would be limited in scope.

"I think a relatively minor strike is now built into the market. If the scope changes and we start talking about regime change, the market will have to adjust again to that," said John Brady, managing director at R.J. O'Brien & Associates in Chicago.

"Until we get more clarity on the geopolitical news, I suspect we'll continue trading in a tight range."

Uncertainty over Syria has been the market's primary driver over the past week, with investors concerned about the economic impact of any action. Energy has been the most impacted, with crude rising 1.6 percent over the past two weeks as investors bet that a Middle East engagement would limit oil supplies.

Adding to concern overseas, Italian shares slumped on worries over the survival of the country's government. European shares lost 0.4 percent.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.1 point and were slightly above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures slid 11 points and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 2 points.

On the S&P 500, investors will be watching the 1,639.88 level, the index's 100-day moving average. The index has risen above that level in each of the past four sessions, though it hasn't closed above it since August 26, a sign that near-term momentum continues to stall.

H&R Block Inc reported an adjusted quarterly loss late Tuesday that was wider than expected, citing higher costs. Shares fell 4.9 percent to $26.50 in premarket trading.

SAIC Inc and Dollar General Corp reported results early on Wednesday.

Hain Celestial Group Inc shares will be in focus a day after the company said that activist investor Carl Icahn and his entities were cutting their stake in the company by roughly half.

While geopolitical issues have been the primary focus for investors, they also await the latest economic data, with the July international trade figures out at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT).

The U.S. Federal Reserve's Beige Book summary of economic conditions will be released at 2:00 p.m., and the report will be closely scoured for insight into when the central bank may begin to slow its accommodative monetary policies, which have fueled the equity market's gains in 2013.

Wall Street rose on Tuesday, but pared its gains in afternoon trading as key figures in Congress announced support for military action against Syria.

(Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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