Dow Futures Down Ahead of Apple Event

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are holding cautiously below fair value this morning, with the blue-chip index fresh off a four-day winning streak. Blue-chip Apple (AAPL) will be in focus today, with the firm expected to reveal new iPhones at today's event, as well as more details for its streaming services. AAPL stock is trading lower ahead of the bell, though, as weak Chinese inflation data creates headwinds for the broader tech sector. As such, futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are down, with the benchmarks poised to extend Monday's weakness.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including: 

• Schaeffer's Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone explains why traders still need to take precautions.
• Altria options traders reacted to Juul's e-cigarette regulatory woes.
• Energizer stock is turning up the heat on short sellers.
• Plus, Ford slumps; retail stock soars 80% ahead of the bell; and Wells Fargo gets downgraded.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.19 million call contracts traded on Monday, compared to 707,290 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio rose to 0.59, while the 21-day moving average dipped to 0.68.
2. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) unveiled plans to launch eight electric cars in Europe by year's end, and will add an additional 15 electric vehicles by 2024. The automaker also saw its debt rating downgraded to "Ba1" from "Baa3" at Moody's, on expectations that lengthy restructuring efforts will create "weak earnings and cash generation." After closing last night at $9.54, F stock is down 3.6% ahead of the open.
3. Francesca's Holdings Corp (NASDAQ:FRAN) stock is up 80% in electronic trading, after the retailer reported its second-quarter results. Heading into today, FRAN shares were down 92.9% on a year-over-year basis, settling last night at $5.16.
4. UBS downgraded Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC) to "neutral" from "buy," with a $49 price target -- a slight premium to last night's close at $48.41. The bank stock is down 0.4% in pre-market trading, set to extend its nearly 16% year-over-year slide.
5. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is due. Dave & Busters Entertainment (PLAY), GameStop (GME), RH (RH), and Zscaler (ZS) will report earnings.

South Korean Stocks Pop on Stimulus Hopes

Asian markets were mostly higher today, with the exception of China's Shanghai Composite, which lost 0.1% as investors responded cautiously to spiking food prices in August. Elsewhere, Hong Kong's Hang Seng hovered just atop breakeven with a 0.01% gain, while the Nikkei in Japan tacked on 0.4% on the strength of the auto sector -- led by Nissan Motor following its CEO's resignation. South Korea's Kospi was higher on the day, too, up 0.6% on the increasingly promising prospective of global stimulus.

Markets in Europe are a mixed bag today, as investors anticipate a potential stimulus package announcement from the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting Thursday. There's also the latest Brexit news to digest, where British lawmakers once again rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson's second bid to hold a snap general election. At last check, London's FTSE 100 is up 0.06%, while the French CAC 40 is off 0.04%. Elsewhere, the German DAX is up 0.3%, as long-term bund yields briefly hit a one-month high ahead of the ECB meeting.