Updated throughout the day
September 3
Good evening,
U.S. stocks had a mixed day, starting slow gains in the morning before fading in the afternoon. The Dow closed up 0.1%, as did the S&P 500. The Nasdaq lost 0.4%. The Stoxx Europe 600 ended Thursday up 2.4%. Oil is sneaking its way back up before the holiday weekend, closing just short of $47/barrel. Wednesday afternoon, the Federal Reserve released the Beige Book, its survey of businesses. Bottomline: Things are looking good. Investors will be examining same-store sales today to measure just how robust the American consumer is. Of course, Friday brings the mother of all economic datapoints — the monthly jobs report. Survey says: nonfarm payrolls in August will edge up to 223,000 from 215,000 in July. Stay tuned.
Here’s what else you need to know:
The Reunion debris is definitely from missing flight MH370. French investigators have confirmed that the debris found on an island in July is without a doubt from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The French were the last group holding out on a certain confirmation of the debris. CNN
Kentucky clerk headed to jail. Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk refusing to give out marriage licenses since same sex marriage was legalized, was found in contempt of court and jailed Thursday. Her office will start processing paperwork for same sex marriage licenses Friday. USAToday
Dewey & LeBoeuf defense rests. The lawyers for three former Dewey & LeBoeuf executives plans to formally rest Tuesday without calling a single witness. The lawyers will also renew a request to dismiss the case, which accuses the execs of defrauding lenders and creditors. New York Times
U.S. government extends healthcare nondiscrimination to transgender people. Health insurers and medical providers must treat all patients equally, regardless of sex. Earlier this year, a study found that 42% of female-to-male transgender adults reported verbal harassment, physical assault, or denial of equal treatment in a doctor’s office or hospital. Reuters
Images of dead child put face to migrant problem. Photos of a 3-year-old Syrian Kurd boy who drowned near Turkey are tugging heart strings everywhere. The horrible images of the child show how desperate the migrant situation is, as thousands have perished this year alone. The boy’s mother and 5-year-old brother also died, and his father is in the hospital. Wall Street Journal
Donald Trump will sign GOP loyalty pledge. A Trump associate says that the presidential candidate will sign the pledge to endorse the Republican nominee, preventing a third-party run. The move will help put Trump on Republican primary ballots more easily, and will undermine his opponent’s attacks on the possibility of him running as an independent. Politico
ECB ready to expand stimulus. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi says the bank is projecting slower than expected economic growth in the eurozone, and the ECB will “act if warranted.” Wall Street Journal
China trimming armed forces by 300,000. This is not a kumbaya moment. President Xi made the announcement as the Communist Party military displayed its might in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Analysts suggest China is simply becoming more efficient, relying on technology that require fewer personnel. Meanwhile, China has been sailing ships off the coast of Alaska — a first and none-too-peaceful sign. New York Times (paywall) BBC
Obama winning Iran deal. Maryland Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski is backing President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. Mikulski is the 34th vote, making it impossible for the GOP to kill the deal in Congress. Politico
Ex-Clinton staffer to invoke Fifth Amendment. The staffer who set up Hillary Clinton’s private email server will not answer questions before a House panel on Benghazi, the lawyer stated. Bryan Pagliano, who maintained Clinton’s home server, will also refuse to provide documents. Politico
Dreamworks to split from Disney. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks will not renew its distribution deal with the Walt Disney Co. The current deal dates back to 2009, but Disney has since acquired both Marvel and Lucasfilm, shifting its focus to branded, tentpole films. Variety
Died: Disney star Dean Jones. The go-to actor for Disney films of the 1960s has died aged 84. His credits include “The Love Bug,” “The Million Dollar Duck,” “That Darn Cat!” and “The Shaggy D.A.” CNN
You won’t believe this…
Nude painting could go for $100 million. The nearly 100-year-old painting of a nude woman is by the famed Amedeo Modigliani. Christie’s will be auctioning the piece in New York this November. Other recent modern art pieces have been braking records, and banks. Picasso’s “Les femmes d’Alger” went for $140 million in May. CNN
Brady’s back! A judge has overturned the NFL’s four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his alleged role in the “deflategate” scandal. Brady will be starting quarterback for the Patriots in their opening game next week. And thousands of fantasy football teams rejoiced. Deadspin
A close shave with death. An Australian champion sheep shearer has set a new record after clipping a sheep that had become so overgrown its life was endangered. The sheep’s name was Chris. CNN
Photo: William Murphy