iPhone

European stocks rose as the euro tumbled following Germany’s election result which was dubbed a "Nightmare Victory" for Merkel and could lead to potentially complicated coalition talks and perhaps even another early election. U.S. equity-index futures point to a lower open, while Asian equities slide after a plunge in Chinese property developer names over worries of new real estate curbs as well as tech stocks following more iPhone delivery concerns. S&P500 futures are steady, down slightly by just over -0.1%, after closing little changed on Friday.

Earlier we showed that in a striking lack of enthusiasm for Apple's latest offering, the iPhone 8 which went on sale today, there were just two people in "line" in front of an Apple store in China: less than the security guards at the same location.

Unfortunately for Tim Cook, it appears that it was not just China as the entire world appears to have gotten collective cold feet when it comes to Apple's newest gizmo,  because while Apple Stores are usually faced with shockingly long lines on the morning of a new iPhone launch, that wasn't the case today. Anywhere.

Confirming reports that reception for Apple's newly launched iPhone 8 may be "underwhelming" to put it lightly, as the phone provides little if any material improvement over its lower-priced predecessor even as sales for hardcore fans will be cannibalized by the iPhone X, is the following report from Hangzhou, China which shows that all of 2 people were waiting in line for the latest gizmo from Tim Cook.

As Chinese media reports, summarized by David Kersten, "note the barricades for the anticipated queue...

... that had to be put away because only 2 people showed up."

S&P futures retreated along with European and Asian shares with tech, and Apple supplier shares leading the drop while safe havens such as gold and the yen rose, as the war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un escalated and North Korea threatened to launch a hydrogen bomb, leading to a prompt return of geopolitical concerns. Trade focus now turns to a planned speech by Theresa May on Brexit (full preview here).

Apple share price continues to tumble since it unveiled the iPhone 8 and X, following yesterday's triple whammy of bad news.

Back at it lowest since August 1st's after-hours spike on earnings, AAPL is now testing the key 100-day moving average...

And as goes AAPL, so goes the Nasdaq.. again

Time for The SNB to buy some more...

"No brainer..."