Limit Down!

Stock futures fell 6% overnight and triggered a limit down restriction, which means the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 futures can't trade below a certain level until stateside exchanges open for regular trading. That level is 855 for the S&P and 8224 for the Dow. The news comes as stocks worldwide plunged on deepening recession concerns.

Across the pond, the UK's FTSE 100 Index sank 8% after the country's GDP shrank for the first time since 1991. Meanwhile, South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index was halted after falling 10% on reports the country's economy was showing the slowest growth in 4 years. For some perspective on so much market turmoil, read Professor Katsenelson’s Confidence In the Face of the Bear.

From the Bull Pen: In a market crash, the key for bulls is to lose the least amount possible. Cash may be king, but also consider a quality play like McDonald’s (MCD), which should roar to the upside once the panic settles.

From the Bear Cave: Pressing the downside in individual stocks may be tough at this point. Consider the Ultrashort S&P 500 (SDS) for a quick trade with the notion it may revisit its 52- week high ($128).


Quick Check Around the World

Asian trading closed with the Hang Seng -8.30%, Nikkei -9.60%, Sensex -10.96%, Taiwan -3.19% and Shanghai -1.91%.

Glancing towards Europe, we see the CAC -8.17%, DAX -8.29%, FTSE -7.09%

As of 8:00 a.m. EST, S&P Futures are trading -60 to 855, and Nasdaq futures are -85 to 1168.


A Look At Commodities

Crude oil is trading -4.77 to 63.10. Gold is -22 to 691. Silver is -0.630 to 8.870 and copper is -5.550 to 179.55.

The dollar index is +1.038 to 86.398.


On the Radar

Economics

10:00 Existing Home Sales (Sep)

Click here for the full trading radar.

Be safe out there. Good luck and have a great weekend.