BY THE NUMBERS
Futures were lower this morning as Fed policymakers get set to conclude a two-day meeting. That would be in stark contrast to Wednesday's post-election rally which saw the Dow and S&P 500 post their biggest one-day gains since October 16. (CNBC)
* Cramer's advice on investing during Washington gridlock: Buy fast growers (CNBC)
* Cramer: With midterms over, we could get 'the rallies of all rallies' if the Fed pauses rate hikes (CNBC)
The Fed is set to announce an interest rate decision and policy statement at 2 p.m. ET, with the central bank not expected to raise interest rates this time around. This will also be the last time a Fed decision is not followed by a news conference. (CNBC)
Cardinal Health (CAH), Discovery Communications (DISCA) and Party City (PRTY) are among the companies set to report quarterly earnings this morning. Dow component Walt Disney headlines today's after-the-bell earnings reports. (CNBC)
On the data front, the Labor Department is out with its weekly look at initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET, with consensus forecasts calling for 210,000 new claims for the week ending November 3. That would be down 4,000 from the prior week. (CNBC)
IN THE NEWS TODAY
Police said at least 12 people have died after a shooting at a crowded restaurant in Thousand Oaks, California. According to a local NBC News report, at least 11 people had been shot, including a deputy sheriff. The shooter is confirmed dead.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is leaving the Trump administration after more than a year of public criticism from his boss, President Donald Trump. Sessions' chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, will serve as acting attorney general. (CNBC)
* Whitaker will take over Mueller probe oversight (CNBC)
The day after his party lost its lock on Congress, Trump walked into a press conference ready for political combat, name-checking Republicans who he blamed for losing their seats and lashing out at reporters who challenged his assertions. (Reuters)
* Trump is in big trouble now that Democrats control the House — and he knows it (CNBC)
* Health care wins and stocks rally as Democrats take control of the US House (CNBC)
The White House suspended the press pass of CNN's Jim Acosta after he and Trump had a heated confrontation at a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading to the southern U.S. border. (AP)
* Mike Bloomberg and Tom Steyer become kingmakers for Democrats as both billionaires mull a 2020 run (CNBC)
China reported today exports and imports for the month of October that exceeded forecasts. The country's overall trade surplus was $34.01 billion for October, lower than the $35 billion economists had expected. (CNBC)
Tesla (TSLA) announced late last night that Robyn Denholm has taken Elon Musk's place as chair of the company's board. Denholm, who has served on Tesla's board since 2014, will be leaving her role as CFO of Telstra to focus on Tesla full time. (CNBC)
Walmart (WMT) will begin offering Black Friday deals earlier this year, as it vies with Amazon (AMZN) and other retailers for holiday sales. Black Friday deals will be offered online at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 21, the night before Thanksgiving. (CNBC)
Alphabet (GOOGL) unit Google is planning to expand its office space in New York City, potentially allowing the tech giant to significantly increase staffing in the city, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
STOCKS TO WATCH
Qualcomm (QCOM) reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 90 cents per share, seven cents above estimates, with the chipmaker's revenue also above Wall Street forecasts. However, Qualcomm's current quarter revenue forecast falls below consensus estimates, due largely from the loss of chip sales to Apple (AAPL).
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) beat estimates by three cents with adjusted quarterly profit of 30 cents per share, with revenue just above Street forecasts. The beverage maker said the combination of Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple Group is "off to a great start".
Roku (ROKU) posted an adjusted loss of nine cents per share, three cents smaller than Wall Street was expecting. The maker of streaming media devices also saw revenue beat forecasts, but the shares are being pressured by weaker than expected video platform revenue and a forecast of a net loss for the holiday quarter.
News Corp. (NWSA) reported adjusted quarterly profit of 17 cents per share, well above the consensus estimate of four cents, and the Wall Street Journal owner's revenue was essentially in line with forecasts. Results were boosted by the expansion of News Corp's subscription video services business.
Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) beat estimates by 12 cents with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.05 per share, with the video game maker's revenue also topping forecasts. Take-Two also raised its full year outlook following an upbeat debut for its "Red Redemption II" video game.
Wynn Resorts (WYNN) fell one cent shy of Wall Street forecasts with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.68 per share, although the casino operator's revenue did beat estimates. However, Wynn executives are warning of a slowdown in the key Macau market.
Comcast (CMCSA) is planning to roll out a new set top box that allows broadband-only subscribers to aggregate video streaming applications like Netflix and YouTube. Sources tell CNBC that the product is set to be launched next year. Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
WATERCOOLER
Samsung announced a smartphone that can fold in half. It's a compelling form factor that may one day allow us to carry phones that fit snugly in our pockets but that can then be unfolded to reveal a larger screen, like a tablet. (CNBC)