Economy
European stocks give up early gains as concerns on global economic growth continue to mount. Investors are once again swapping into government bonds. The volatile trading in Europe follows broad losses across Asian markets. Traders note that yesterday's broad market declines were based on huge volume numbers which will be hard to reverse. U.S. stock index futures point lower in early action.

Oil prices fall off again with more forecasts out indicating weak global demand. The American Petroleum Institute reported a 10.2M barrel increase in the stockpile of U.S. crude oil, while a U.S. Energy Information Administration tally due out later today is expected to show a 2.2M barrel increase. An emergency meeting of OPEC officials has been requested by Venezuela.

The U.S. government promised to ramp up its response to Ebola after a second hospital worker in Dallas tested positive. President Obama canceled travel scheduled for today in order to meet with members of his cabinet. The CDC will create medical SWAT teams to help respond to any new Ebola cases and establish quick protocols at hospitals. Volatile trading in transportation and hospitality stocks is expected to continue.

Stocks
J.D. Power & Associates forecasts U.S. auto dealership sales will reach a record high of 13.83M units next year to edge past the previous high mark in the industry of 13.80M units set in 2004. The estimate doesn't include fleet sales which could place the sales mark over 17M units. The research firm notes pricing has held up in the industry with lower interest rates and longer loan terms providing support for automakers. The Big Three - Ford (NYSE:F), General Motors (NYSE:GM), and Fiat Chrysler Automotive (NYSE:FCAU) - expect to see market share gains over foreign automakers on the back of new model introductions.

Boeing disclosed it held early talks with the Brazilian army on the sale of CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Company executives said they consider Brazil a key partner for new Boeing (NYSE:BA) projects. The development marks a step forward for interactions between the U.S. and Brazil after concerns over National Security Agency spying chilled the relationship.

Meredith signed a 10-year agreement with Martha Stewart Living to take over ad sales, circulation, and production of the Martha Stewart Living (NYSE:MSO) and Martha Stewart Weddings magazines. Many of the sales and marketing functions for Martha Stewart Living's websites and video library will also be handled by Meredith (NYSE:MDP). Shares of MSO spiked 25.1% in after-hours trading after the company forecast a $10M-$15M annual boost to operating income from the new partnership

McDonald's dipped into its well of former employees once again by hiring Karen King to be the company's new chief people officer. Last week, McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) tapped Mike Andes to be the head of its U.S. business. The pace of high-level management changes at McDonald's has increased this year with global sales growth in a sluggish trend.

A watchdog group accused Honda of misreporting the number of injuries and fatalities tied to defective air bags. The Center for Auto Safety has called on regulators to refer the Japanese automaker to the Justice Department for a criminal investigation. The group cited incidents that weren’t included in Honda's (NYSE:HMC) Early Warning Reports. A widespread problem with air bags manufactured by Takata is at the core of the issue.

CBS might follow the lead set by Time Warner with HBO by offering an online version of Showtime. Executives with CBS (NYSE:CBS) have hinted in the past that international markets may get the first crack at a stand-alone Showtime. Time Warner's dramatic announcement yesterday of a plan to offer an online HBO product created a stir in the media sector. The impact of the new consumer streaming option on pricing at Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Hulu (DIS, CMCSA, FOXA) will be closely watched.

Lexus recalled 423K vehicles in the U.S. due to a potential fuel system issue. The action is part of a broader Toyota (NYSE:TM) recall announced yesterday which impacted 1.7M vehicles globally. Overall, the Japanese automaker has recalled over 10M vehicles this year amid a sharper focus on safety across the industry.

Eagle Bulk Shipping completed its court-approved financial restructuring, saying it has emerged with a strong balance sheet and improved liquidity. The company said it reduced its debt obligations by 80%, or ~$1B, and significantly lowered its annual cash interest expense. With an eye on the future, Eagle Bulk Shipping (NASDAQ:EGLE) also closed on a new $275M exit financing facility.

Thursday's economic calendar:
8:00 Fed's Plosser: Monetary Policy and Economic Outlook
8:30 Initial Jobless Claims
9:15 Industrial Production
9:45 Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index
10:00 Philly Fed Business Outlook
10:00 NAHB Housing Market Index
10:30 EIA Natural Gas Inventory
11:00 EIA Petroleum Inventories
2:30 PM Fed's Kocherlakota Speech
4:00 PM Treasury International Capital
4:30 PM Money Supply
4:30 PM Fed Balance Sheet

Notable earnings before today's open: ADS, BAX, BBT, BHI, BX, CY, DAL, DHR, DOV, FCFS, FCS, FITB, FRC, GS, GWW, HLSS, HOMB, MAT, NTCT, ORB, PM, PPG, PVTB, SNA, SON, SVU, SYNT, TSM, TZOO, UNH, VAC, WBS, WGO

Notable earnings after today's close: AMD, ASBC, ATHN, CCK, COF, CPHD, CYT, GOOG, PBCT, QLGC, SLB, SNDK, SYK, WAL, WDFC, WTFC, XLNX