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 Here is what you need to know. Chinese inflation data was mixed. Consumer prices rose 2.0% year-over-year, making for the fastest pace in a year. The August print was above both the 1.6% recorded in July and the 1.8% that was economists were expecting. Meanwhile, producer prices plunged 5.9% compared with last year, making for the steepest drop since September 2009. The drop accelerated from the 5.4% decline in July and was larger than the decline of 5.5% that was anticipated. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang spoke at the World Economic Forum. Li ruled out a hard landing for the Chinese economy, suggesting the economy was undergoing a shift from one based on manufacturing to one based on service. According to the South China Morning Post, Li suggested, "Beijing would allow overseas monetary authorities to directly invest in the interbank foreign exchange market and it would set up a cross-border yuan settlement system by the end of the year." China's offshore yuan is stronger by 1.2% at 6.3915 per dollar. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand cut its benchmark interest rate. New Zealand's central bank lowered its benchmark interest rate 25 basis points to 2.75%. The rate cut has the central bank's official cash rate just above the record low of 2.50%. According to the RBNZ: "A reduction in the [official cash rate] is warranted by the softening in the economy and the need to keep future average CPI inflation near the 2 percent target midpoint. At this stage, some further easing in the OCR seems likely." The New Zealand dollar is down 1.5% at .6298. Brazil was cut to junk at S&P. The rating agency cut Brazil's sovereign credit rating one notch to BB-, making it "junk" status. S&P also left Brazil's credit rating on "negative watch," suggesting more downgrades might be coming. According to S&P, "The political challenges Brazil faces have continued to mount, weighing on the government's ability and willingness to submit a 2016 budget to Congress consistent with the significant policy correction signaled during the first part of President Dilma Rousseff's second term." A Japanese lawmaker wants more easing. Kozo Yamamoto, a member of Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, told Bloomberg the Bank of Japan's October 30 meeting would be a "good opportunity" to introduce more easing. In the interview, Yamamoto said it was an "absolute imperative" the central bank hits its 2% inflation target by the end of the first half of its 2016 fiscal year. The Japanese yen is weaker by 0.6% at 121.18 per dollar. There was one dissent at the Bank of England. The Bank of England kept its key interest rate unchanged at 0.50% and held its asset purchase program at £375 billion. Like the previous meeting, Monetary Policy Committee members voted 8 to 1 in favor of keeping rates on hold. The vote to keep its asset-purchase program unchanged was unanimous. The British pound is stronger by 0.5% at 1.5444. Australia posted a strong jobs report. The Australian economy added 17,400 jobs in August, outpacing the addition of 5,000 jobs that was expected. Of the jobs that were added, 11,500 were full time. The unemployment rate slipped to 6.2% after hitting a 13-year high of 6.3% in July. The Australian dollar is up 0.8% at .7072. Stock markets around the world are mostly lower. Hong Kong's Hang Seng (-2.6%) paced the decline in Asia and Spain's IBEX (-1.0%) leads the way lower in Europe. S&P 500 futures are higher by 5.25 points at 1,948.00. US economic data is heavy. Initial and continuing claims and import/export prices cross the wires at 8:30 a.m. ET while wholesale inventories is set for a 10 a.m. ET release. Natural-gas inventories will be announced at 10:30 a.m. ET and crude-oil inventories are due out at 11 a.m. ET. The US Treasury will reopen $13 billion 30-year bonds at 1 p.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is up 1 basis point at 2.21%. Earnings season winds down. Lululemon Athletica reports ahead of the opening bell and Restoration Hardware releases its quarterly results after the close. | 
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