United States

Following last night's release of the latest set of JFK Assassination Files, the public has been busy combing through the several thousand documents. Among the more notable discoveries so far are the following: the CIA contemplated mafia hits on Cuban President Fidel Castro, involving the "false flag" staging of bombings in Miami; Someone calling the FBI threatening to kill Lee Harvey Oswald a day before Oswald’s murder; the US examined sabotaging airplane parts heading to Cuba.

• U.S. Economy Expected to Show Momentum, Despite Storms (WSJ)
• As Trump tax comes to floor, failure could spell stocks selloff (Reuters)
• Washington’s Biggest Mystery: What’s in the Republican Tax Plan? (BBG)
• Spain set to impose direct rule in Catalonia as crisis spirals (Reuters)
• Catalans Send Emissary to Madrid to Plead for a Deal (BBG)
• Catalan Leader Runs Out of Options as Streets Demand Secession (BBG)
• Trump releases some JFK files, blocks others under pressure (Reuters)

Russia Buys 34 Tonnes Of Gold In September

US equity futures are higher, boosted by a bevy of better than expected earnings out of tech giants Amazon, Intel and Microsoft as Asian stocks and European shares climb amid the dovish sentiment unleashed from Thursday’s ECB update.