U.S. to add more Chinese firms to investment, export blacklists – FT

Dec 15 (Reuters) – Shares in Chinese healthcare and technology firms tumbled on Wednesday after a report that the United States would add more Chinese firms, including the largest commercial drone maker and biotech firms, to investment and export blacklists this week.

Citing two sources briefed on the plans, the Financial Times said the United States would add eight Chinese firms, including the drone maker, DJI Technology Co Ltd, to an investment blacklist on Thursday.

The U.S. commerce department is also set to place more than two dozen Chinese firms, some of them involved in biotechnology, on an “entity list” restricting exports to them by U.S. firms, the newspaper cited the sources as saying.

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The report hastened a sell-off in Chinese healthcare shares in afternoon trade, knocking 3.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} off a mainland index tracking the sector (.CSI300HC) against a drop of 0.87{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in the broader index.

The impact was sharper still in Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng Healthcare Index (.HSHCI) was down 7.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in late afternoon trade.

Healthcare firms were already under pressure on Wednesday after Chinese biotech company BeiGene Ltd plunged on its Shanghai debut, amid worries that some Chinese firms could be ordered to delist from the U.S. stock market. read more

The Financial Times said the U.S. treasury department would put eight companies including DJI on its “Chinese military-industrial complex companies” blacklist because of their alleged involvement in surveillance of the Uyghur Muslim minority.

U.S. investors are barred from taking stakes in companies on the list, which now comprises about 60 firms.

A DJI spokesperson declined to comment on the report, but directed Reuters to the company’s statement when U.S. commerce department put it it on the “Entity List” a year ago for the same reasons. That step barred it from buying or using U.S. technology or components.

At the time, DJI said it had done nothing to justify the move and would continue to sell products in the United States, where it has built up a large market.

The U.S. Treasury did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

In Beijing, responding to questions on the FT report, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news briefing China was opposed to U.S. “suppression” of its companies and would pay close attention to how the situation developed.

The new additions come just days after artificial intelligence start-up SenseTime Group was added to the Treasury list, forcing it to postpone its $767-million Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO).

SenseTime said the accusations against it were unfounded.

U.N. experts and rights groups estimate more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a vast system of camps in China’s far western region of Xinjiang.

Some foreign lawmakers and parliaments have labelled the treatment of Uyghurs as genocide, citing evidence of forced sterilisations and deaths inside the camps. China denies this, saying Uyghur population growth exceeds the national average.

Other companies to be added to the list, the FT said, are image-recognition software firm Megvii, supercomputer maker Dawning Information Industry, facial recognition specialist CloudWalk Technology, cyber security group Xiamen Meiya Pico, artificial intelligence company Yitu Technology and cloud computing firms Leon Technology and NetPosa Technologies.

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Reporting by Shivam Patel in Bengaluru, additional reporting by David Kirton in Shenzhen, Andrew Galbraith in Shanghai and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Stock market news live updates: December 14, 2021

Markets edged lower in early trading Tuesday following declines in yesterday’s session as investors tune in for on a prolific week in Washington that includes the Federal Reserve’s final policy-setting meeting of 2021, set to commence today, and the release of new prints on retail sales, housing starts and other economic data.

All three major U.S. indexes were down amid figures from the Department of Labor that showed wholesale prices soared by a record 9.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in November from a year earlier, the fastest annual pace on record for the indicator.

Traders are awaiting a decision from the Fed on how quickly the central bank will tighten monetary policy amid a backdrop of fresh inflation numbers that reflected the fastest annual increase in nearly four decades. The Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) soared 6.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in November compared to last year, according to figures published last week.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is scheduled to hold its two-day policy-setting meeting starting on Tuesday, followed by the release of the monetary policy statement and remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Wednesday. An updated Summary of Economic Projections outlining individual members’ outlooks for economic conditions and interest rates is set to accompany the statement.

The Fed has been under pressure to control rising inflation levels, as investors watch for clues of a faster taper that could set the stage for earlier rate hikes.

“Because inflation expectations do appear to be adaptive, our view is that the longer inflation stays elevated, the greater the risk that consumers adjust their behaviors in a way that contributes to persistently elevated inflation” wrote PIMCO economist Tiffany Wilding in a recent note to clients.

“We believe the Fed will want to manage this risk by shortening the time over which it winds down its purchases of U.S. Treasuries and agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), aiming to end the program in March 2022, while also signaling a June rate hike is likely,” said Wilding.

PIMCO managing director and portfolio manager Sonali Pier also separately told Yahoo Finance Live that the firm expects to see two hikes in 2022, three hikes in 2023, and potentially four in 2024, with the Fed trying to bring the policy rate to neutral.

“Amid proliferating signs of solid growth and a robust job market, various measures depict a deeply troubled economy,” wrote Oxford Economics senior economist Bob Schwartz in a new report. “Households are downbeat, according to sentiment surveys, and the so-called ‘misery index‘ that adds together inflation and unemployment hovers around recession levels.”

Markets await a trove of fresh economic data this week. November retail sales, out on Wednesday, are expected to rise by 0.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, according to Bloomberg consensus estimates. And November housing starts are forecasted to see a month-over-month increase of 3.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley projects the U.S. unemployment rate will drop to 3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in 2022.

“It’s stunning to see how much the rate has fallen in the last five months,” Morgan chief U.S. economist Michael Feroli told Yahoo Finance Live. “We expect that pace of decline to slow, but it doesn’t take much to get below 4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, even with a tick up in the labor participation rate which has been depressed over the last year and a half.”

12:05 p.m. ET: Microsoft posts biggest drop since 2020

Shares of Microsoft (MSFT) were down more than 4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in midday trading, contributing to the Dow’s losses as the broader markets edged lower.

The software giant posted its biggest drop since last October, according to Bloomberg data, adding to yesterday’s loss of nearly 1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} at close.

Separately, J.P. Morgan released fresh research on Tuesday that said investors overlook Microsoft’s leading position in data management. Data platform solutions contributed to about 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of Microsoft’s total revenue in 1H21, up from roughly 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in 2017, according to the bank’s note, which also said much of the company’s growth is driven by cloud data platforms that grew from about 3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of total revenue to about 7{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in the same time period. J.P. Morgan expects this to be a key source of upside heading into 2022.

Microsoft had a year of stunning numbers that made it Yahoo Finance’s company of the year. The tech heavy weight passed a $2 trillion market capitalization in June and reported a $176 billion surge in revenue — a nearly 20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} year-over-year increase.

11:13 a.m. ET: Dow reverses comeback, shedding more than 100 points

Here were the main moves in markets as of 11:13 a.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -52.68 (-1.13{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,616.29

  • Dow (^DJI): -121.43 (-0.34{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,529.52

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -279.60 (-1.81{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,133.68

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.00 (-1.40{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $70.29 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$12.10 (-0.68{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,776.20 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.6 bps to yield 1.4500{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

11:01 a.m. ET: Meme-stock darling AMC extends decline

Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC) were down 2.19{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, trading at $22.73 a piece, though recouping some losses after falling as much as 11{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} at the open. The company was hit hard in Monday’s sell-off along with other retail favorites, including Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBY) and Tesla (TSLA).

The losses come as investors expect a rollback of pandemic-era stimulus by the Federal Reserve, putting risky assets and tech companies under pressure.

Retail investors comprise 20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}-30{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of trading volume, according to research from J.P. Morgan—a change from last year when these traders were seen as small-time market players.

10:17 a.m. ET: Dow turns green following tumble

Here were the main moves in markets as of 10:17 a.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -32.00 (-0.69{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,636.97

  • Dow (^DJI): +16.28 (+0.05{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,667.23

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -200.53 (-1.30{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,212.75

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.72 (-1.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $70.57 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$13.10 (-0.73{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,775.20 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +3.9 bps to yield 1.4630{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

9:30 a.m. ET: Markets open lower ahead of Fed decision

Here were the main moves in markets as of 9:30 a.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -36.88 (-0.79{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,632.09

  • Dow (^DJI): -141.06 (-0.40{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,509.89

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -217.32 (-1.39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,413.28

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.92 (-1.29{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $70.37 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$20.90 (-1.17{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,767.40 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.7 bps to yield 1.4510{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

9:05 a.m. ET: Stock futures tick down

Here were the main moves in futures trading Tuesday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -28.50 points (-0.64{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,640.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -100 points (-0.28{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,545

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -170 points (-1.06{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,912

8:48 a.m. ET: Wholesale inflation surges 9.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Wholesale prices soared by a record 9.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in November from a year earlier, the fastest annual pace on record for the indicator and a sign inflation pressures are likely to persist well into 2022.

The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its producer price index rose 0.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in November after a 0.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} monthly gain in October. The figure, which measures inflation before it reaches consumers, marked the highest monthly reading in four months.

Food prices jumped 1.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in November after falling 0.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in October. Energy prices were up 2.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} after a 5.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} percent rise October.

7:07 a.m. ET: Stock futures mixed

Here were the main moves in markets in early trading Tuesday:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -8.25 points (-0.18{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,660.5

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +22.00 points (0.06{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,667

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -85.25 points (0.53{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,996.75

6:00 p.m. Monday ET: Stock futures edge higher

Here were the main moves in markets in late trading on Monday:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +5.50 points (0.12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,674.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +46.00 points (0.13{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,691

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +10.75 points (0.07{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 16,092.75

Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc

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Jayapal says CBO scores are ‘outdated,’ don’t count ‘wellbeing of planet,’ amid spending bill backlash

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal Monday fired Democrats’ latest salvo against a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score that rated their massive reconciliation spending bill, calling it “fictional” and arguing the office itself is “outdated.” 

“CBO scores are outdated to start with in terms of what and how they assess. Many new ideas w/out economic data to help generate a score never get scored accurately,” Jayapal, D-Wash., said. “Future savings, inclu (sic) reductions in poverty, wellbeing of planet, don’t get scored.”

“On top of that, if you now tell CBO that they should score not based on what is in the bill but an assumption of what happens if all the programs in the bill get extended for some period of time, that topples all credibility of scores. That’s fictional scoring,” Jayapal added. “GOP asking for score on Build Back Better that extends all the programs to 10 years is completely ridiculous.” 

ACCOUNTING GAMES: DEMOCRATS ARE DOWNPLAYING THE PRICE OF THEIR MASSIVE SPENDING BILL, WATCHDOG SAYS

Jayapal’s comments come as a score of the reconciliation bill released by the agency last week continues to roil Washington, D.C. 

Senate Republicans asked the CBO to score Democrats’ bill as if all its programs would be permanent, resulting in a total price tag of nearly $5 trillion instead of less than $2 trillion. With the revenue raisers included in the bill staying constant, that would mean Democrats’ proposal would add about $3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years. 

The GOP-ordered CBO score tracks with analyses from outside groups like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), which argued for weeks that Democrats are using dishonest budgeting gimmicks to reduce the price of their bill. 

“They want to spend $2.4 trillion and buy with that almost $5 trillion worth of stuff. So the way they’re doing that is by making a number of the policies temporary,” CRFB senior vice president Marc Goldwein told Fox News last month. 

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, updates reporters after meeting with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats as President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion domestic policy package remains in limbo (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite / AP Newsroom)

BIDEN’S SPENDING BILL COULD ADD $3T TO THE DEFICIT IF MADE PERMANENT, CBO SAYS

These programs count as temporary on the official CBO score for the bill, Goldwein said, but there’s a strong chance many of them get extended by a future Congress after people get used to them, running up the real cost of the bill. 

Jayapal argued this approach to understanding Democrats’ bill is incorrect. 

“Absurd for GOP to assume all programs continue for 10 years. We made tough choices to only fund certain programs for fewer years b/c top line number had to come down,” she said. “It is completely illogical to impute a score on a non-existent bill & shows GOP is just trying to kill it.”

JOE-MANCHIN-REMARKS-WASHINGTON-DC

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) delivers remarks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S. November 1, 2021. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst / Reuters Photos)

CBO SCORE ‘BLOWS UP’ WHITE HOUSE LIE THAT BUILD BACK VETTER COSTS ZERO DOLLARS: MORABITO

Jayapal suggested that if members of Congress are scoring bills based on counterfactuals and not actual legislative text, maybe the CBO should “score Pentagon spending for the next 100 years, the GOP Tax Scam for 20 years” and more. Jayapal also said the reconciliation bill would save the federal government money over two decades. 

Democrats suggest that if they pass extensions to any of the programs in their reconciliation spending bill they would include additional taxes to pay for them in the future. But they would technically be under no obligation to do so. 

Meanwhile, Republicans are hammering the reconciliation bill as irresponsible federal spending right when Americans are being hit hard by inflation – and they’re leaning on moderate Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., to block it. In fact, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on “Fox News Sunday” it was Manchin’s idea to have the CBO score reconciliation as if it were permanent. 

A screenshot of Sen. Lindsey Graham from America’s Newsroom on November 10, 2021 (Fox News)

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“You know why I wrote a letter to CBO? Because Joe Manchin came to me and he said, ‘I think this bill is full of gimmicks, that these programs won’t go away, Lindsey, and if you score them for 10 years, I think the bill will double,'” Graham said. 

“Well, it didn’t double, it was almost 2.5 times,” Graham added. “So, I hope this will be a showstopper for Build Back Better.” 

Democrats are shooting to pass the reconciliation bill through at least the Senate before the New Year. But with the days before Christmas dwindling, several outstanding policy disagreements and the Senate parliamentarian still combing through the massive bill to ensure it conforms with the Byrd Rule, that timeline appears increasingly likely to slip into next year. 

Fox News’ Megan Henney contributed to this report. 

President Biden Announces Key Nominees

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve in key roles:

  • Erik K. Raven, Nominee for Under Secretary of the Navy, Department of Defense
  • Kristyn E. Jones, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Department of Defense
  • Ventris C. Gibson, Nominee for Director of the Mint, Department of the Treasury

Erik K. Raven, Nominee for Under Secretary of the Navy, Department of Defense

Erik K. Raven is the Majority Clerk of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, where he oversees more than $700 billion of annual spending by the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. Prior to joining the Appropriations Committee in 2007, he served as national security adviser and legislative director to Senator Robert C. Byrd, fellow to Senator Ted Kennedy, in several positions for Senator Dianne Feinstein, and as an English teacher in China. Raven holds Associate of Arts degrees from the College of Marin, a Bachelor of Arts with honors and distinction in International Relations from Connecticut College, and a Master of Science with merit in International History from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He resides with his family in Washington, D.C.

Kristyn E. Jones, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Department of Defense

Kristyn E. Jones is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Federal Advisory practice, where she supports the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal agencies on financial management, business management, and technology projects. Prior to her current role, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Information Management. Previously, Jones held a variety of positions in DoD and in industry. From June 2007 to 2008, Jones was Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) for Cost Management Transformation. Prior to this role, Jones was the Director of Enterprise Transition Planning at the DoD Business Transformation Agency (BTA) and served as a Financial Manager at the Office of Naval Research.

Earlier in her career, Jones held management positions at two Fortune 500 companies, Capital One and Advanced Micro Devices. Jones also served as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army, where she held a variety of leadership positions. She is a Certified Defense Financial Manager, Project Management Professional, and Certified Technology Business Management Executive. Jones has received numerous government and industry awards, including the Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA) Women in Technology Award and was a recipient of a “Fed 100” award. She earned a Master’s in Business Administration from George Mason University and is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.  

Ventris C. Gibson, Nominee for Director of the Mint, Department of the Treasury

Ventris C. Gibson is the Deputy Director of the United States Mint and is also serving as the Acting Director. If confirmed, she will be the first African-American to lead the U.S. Mint. A U.S. Navy veteran with decades of senior leadership experience in the federal government, Gibson joined the Mint from District of Columbia government, where she served as the Director of Human Resources. In this role, Gibson provided executive oversight and execution of human capital programs and services for nearly 37,000 employees. Prior to that, Gibson served as an Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She was responsible for the development, articulation, and delivery of Department-wide human resources policies, plans, and programs affecting nearly 92,000 employees. Gibson’s career with the federal government includes significant leadership roles in the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Gibson is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations including the VA’s Exceptional and Meritorious Service Awards, FAA Manager Association’s Leadership Award, National Hispanic Coalition’s President’s Award, and the Northern New Jersey Metropolitan Area’s prestigious “Woman of the Year” award. Gibson has three children, four grandchildren, and two golden retrievers.

S&P pulls back from record, Nasdaq sheds 1.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Stocks traded lower on Monday, with the S&P 500 dipping below last week’s record level as traders awaited a Federal Reserve monetary policy decision later this week. 

The three major indexes declined. U.S. crude oil prices steadied trade near $71 per barrel. Treasury yields fell across the long end of the curve, and the benchmark 10-year yield held below 1.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. Bitcoin prices declined to trade below $47,000. 

Investors’ focus this week will be on the Federal Reserve’s December policy-setting meeting, which will take place between Tuesday and Wednesday. A new monetary policy statement and press conference with Fed Chair Jerome Powell are due mid-week, alongside the Fed’s updated Summary of Economic Projections charting out individual members’ outlooks for economic conditions and interest rates. Policymakers for other central banks are also set to meet this week, including those from the Bank of England and European Central Bank. 

The Fed’s decision has taken on additional significance as the market attempts to predict how policymakers will weigh persistently elevated inflation against the specter of a fresh wave of the coronavirus with the newly discovered Omicron variant. U.S. inflation rose at its fastest pace since 1982 in November, last week’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed, pointing to the ongoing mismatch between supply and demand in the recovering economy. 

On the virus front, the Omicron variant has so far been detected in 30 states, according to data compiled by the New York Times. Early data so far have suggested the variant is more transmissible than the earlier Delta variant, but may cause less severe disease and be able to be neutralized by a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Pfizer. On Monday, the World Health Organization said the Omicron variant remains a “very high” global risk, while underscoring that data on the severity of the disease is still limited. 

But against the backdrop of inflation and a firming economic recovery, the Fed is expected to announce an acceleration of its asset purchase tapering process at the close of this week’s meeting, dialing back one of the central bank’s key tools that had helped support the economy during the pandemic. 

“Both equity and fixed-income markets appear to be pricing the coming Fed tightening,” David Kostin, Goldman Sachs chief U.S. equity strategist, wrote in a note. 

The firm expects the Fed to double the pace of tapering at this week’s meeting, bringing the Fed’s monthly drawdown of Treasuries and agency mortgage-backed securities purchases to $30 billion per month versus the current rate of $15 billion. 

“Historical experience suggest equity valuations are typically flat around the first Fed hike,” Kostin added. “Moreover, some of the longest duration and highest valuation stocks plunged during the past month, suggesting that equity market pricing of Fed tightening is also under way.” 

4:05 p.m. ET: Stocks end lower: S&P 500 drops 0.9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to pull back from record high, Nasdaq sheds 1.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:05 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -43.04 (-0.91{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,668.98

  • Dow (^DJI): -320.04 (-0.89{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,650.95

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -217.32 (-1.39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,413.28

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.44 (-0.61{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $71.23 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$2.70 (+0.15{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,787.50 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -6.5 bps to yield 1.4240{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

11:17 a.m. ET: USPS expects 2.3 billion pieces of mail to be delivered this week in busiest of the season

The U.S. Postal Service announced Monday that it expects 2.3 billion pieces of mail to be delivered during the week of Dec. 13, underscoring the heightened demand for shopping and shipping this holiday season. The USPS estimate includes both greeting cards and packages. 

“Since Dec. 6, customer traffic at all Post Office locations has been steadily increasing,” the USPS said in a press statement. “But this week is expected to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season.”

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, an estimated 850 million to 950 million packages are expected to be delivered in total, USPS said. 

10:03 a.m. ET: Apple hits intraday record, closes in on $3 trillion market capitalization

Shares of Apple gained in intraday trading, bucking the downward trend of the broader market to come within striking distance of a $3 trillion market capitalization. At session highs, shares of Apple were trading at $181.80, or about 0.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} from the share price that would bring its market cap to the $3 trillion milestone. 

The iPhone-maker had become the first U.S. company ever to reach a $2 trillion market cap in August 2020. Peer technology giant Microsoft has also since rocketed to a more than $2 trillion valuation. 

Shares of Apple have gained more than 36{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} so far for the year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500’s about 24.9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} gain over that period. This comes on top of Apple’s 81{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} gain in 2020. 

9:33 a.m. ET: Stocks open slightly lower

Here’s where markets were trading just after the opening bell: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -5.26 (-0.11{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,706.76

  • Dow (^DJI): -5.26 (-0.08{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,943.90

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -35.94 (-0.23{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,591.80

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.44 (-0.61{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $71.23 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$1.90 (+0.11{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,786.70 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -4.1 bps to yield 1.448{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

7:44 a.m. ET Monday: Stock futures head higher 

Here were the main moves in markets ahead of the opening bell on Monday: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +10 points (+0.21{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,721.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +18 points (+0.05{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,985.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +64.5 points (+0.39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 16,394.25

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.69 (-0.96{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $70.98 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$5.60 (+0.31{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,790.40 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.7 bps to yield 1.472{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 08, 2021 in New York City. Following news from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer on the effectiveness of its vaccine against the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied nearly 100 points in morning trading on Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 08: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 08, 2021 in New York City. Following news from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer on the effectiveness of its vaccine against the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied nearly 100 points in morning trading on Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC — Moody’s affirms at Baa3 Nissan Motor Acceptance’s long-term senior unsecured ratings; changes outlook to stable from negative

Rating Action: Moody’s affirms at Baa3 Nissan Motor Acceptance’s long-term senior unsecured ratings; changes outlook to stable from negativeGlobal Credit Research – 13 Dec 2021New York, December 13, 2021 — Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) has affirmed all the ratings for Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC (NMAC), including its Baa3 long-term senior unsecured ratings and its Prime-3 backed commercial paper rating. NMAC’s outlook was changed to stable from negative.The rating actions follow similar actions on the ratings for NMAC’s ultimate parent, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (Nissan, Baa3 stable), whose ratings were also affirmed with outlook changed to stable from negative.Affirmations:..Issuer: Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC….Backed Commercial Paper, Affirmed P-3….Backed Senior Unsecured Medium-Term Note Program, Affirmed (P)Baa3….Backed Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Affirmed Baa3….Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Affirmed Baa3Outlook Actions:..Issuer: Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC….Outlook, Changed To Stable From NegativeRATINGS RATIONALEThe ratings for NMAC reflect both its intrinsic credit quality (ba1 standalone assessment) and uplift derived from support from Nissan. NMAC’s Baa3 long-term ratings are aligned with Nissan’s Baa3 ratings, based on NMAC’s strategic significance to Nissan, Moody’s expectation that Nissan would support NMAC if required, as well as the explicit support agreement in place between the two companies.Moody’s said NMAC’s ba1 standalone assessment reflects its good capitalization that protects creditors against unexpected losses and strong liquidity. Similar to its peers, the company continues to be extremely profitable, and NMAC’s tangible equity to tangible assets remains strong (15.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} at 30 September 2021), despite it having made a sizeable $1.3 billion parental distribution in June 2021.Moody’s said that NMAC is the only firm among rated US auto captive companies that has an agreement with its parent wherein the parent provides an indemnification from losses associated with the lease portfolio (39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of managed assets at 30 September 2021), making NMAC comparatively less vulnerable to variations in used car prices. Moody’s expects the extraordinary used car price appreciation that has occurred during the coronavirus pandemic to moderate by the end of 2022. Through October 2021, used car prices increased 45{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} from 2020 levels.NMAC’s managed receivables ($38.2 billion at 30 September 2021) have declined by approximately 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} since last year. Moody’s expects, however, that the company’s receivables will be supported by better new vehicle sales at Nissan. Since the beginning of this year through 30 September 2021, Nissan saw an increase in sales in the US by approximately 19{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. This compares to a decline of about 33{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in 2020. The anticipated growth in retail portfolio may be slightly offset by declining dealer financings and uncertainty around consistency of new vehicle sales growth due to the semiconductor shortage and supply chain disruptions expected to continue partially through 2022. Other credit challenges for NMAC include its significant use of securitization that reduces the company’s ability to access alternative sources of liquidity, said Moody’s.FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGSNMAC’s ratings could be upgraded if the ratings for its parent Nissan are upgraded. An upward adjustment of NMAC’s standalone assessment is unlikely given its reliance on one car manufacturer for revenue and assets and its dependency on market funding.NMAC’s ratings could be downgraded following a downgrade of the ratings for its parent Nissan. A downward adjustment of NMAC’s standalone assessment could occur should there be a sustained material decline in asset quality and profitability, diminished liquidity, or leverage (TCE/TMA) reducing to less than 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. However, a downward adjustment of NMAC’s standalone assessment without a change in Moody’s assessment of Nissan’s willingness and ability to support NMAC would likely not affect NMAC’s ratings.Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan North America, Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd (Nissan). As of 30 September 2021, NMAC had approximately a $38 billion portfolio of finance receivables and operating leases.The methodologies used in these ratings were Finance Companies Methodology published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1187099, and Captive Finance Subsidiaries of Nonfinancial Corporations published in August 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1183459. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies. REGULATORY DISCLOSURESFor further specification of Moody’s key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody’s Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody’s rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider’s credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody’s Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.Moody’s general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody’s affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody’s Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody’s office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody’s affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed by Moody’s Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement status and on the Moody’s office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody’s legal entity that has issued the rating.Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating. Inna Bodeck Vice President – Senior Analyst Financial Institutions Group Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Donald Robertson Associate Managing Director Financial Institutions Group JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 © 2021 Moody’s Corporation, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Moody’s Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, “MOODY’S”). All rights reserved.CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE THEIR CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY’S (COLLECTIVELY, “PUBLICATIONS”) MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. 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