IN THE NEWS TODAY
North Korea appears to have boosted defenses on its east coast, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, after the North said U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet had declared war and that it would shoot down U.S. bombers flying near the peninsula. (Reuters)
*Why Twitter won't take down Trump's North Korea tweet (CNBC)
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, revealed she will vote against the Graham-Cassidy bill that would repeal and replace major parts of Obamacare, likely dooming Republican efforts to get rid of that health-care law. The non-partisan CBO said the Graham-Cassidy bill would leave "millions" more uninsured. (CNBC)
*Last-ditch Obamacare repeal could kill more than 500,000 jobs, cost $240 billion in lost economic activity: S&P (CNBC)
*Cramer rips Trump and Congress for dropping the ball on tax reform (CNBC's Mad Money)
Republicans plan to release an outline of their tax-reform plan tomorrow, offering some of the first concrete details of a proposal they hope can accelerate American economic growth. Six top White House officials and lawmakers have led the GOP proposal to overhaul the U.S. tax system. (CNBC)
The Supreme Court signaled it may dismiss a challenge to Trump's controversial travel ban after the White House announced tailored restrictions on eight countries that legal experts said stand a better chance at holding up in court. (Reuters)
The U.S. ramped up its response to the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, even as Trump brought up the island's struggles before Hurricane Maria struck — including "billions of dollars" in debt to "Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with." (AP)
*Hurricane Maria caused as much as $85 Billion in insured losses: AIR Worldwide (WSJ)
White House aides regularly used personal devices for official business, while at least six close advisers to Trump occasionally used private email addresses, both Politico and the New York Times reported on Monday, citing sources.
The SEC chairman will face questions from Congress today after the agency acknowledged that it was a hack victim. Jay Clayton, who has been at the head of the SEC since May, is not likely to face calls for his removal since the breach happened a year ago before he was sworn in. (AP)
*SEC hackers accessed authentic data used by companies in tests: Sources (Reuters)
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told China there was a need for it to "guarantee fair and reciprocal treatment for U.S. firms," during a visit to Beijing, where he tried to strike an upbeat tone amid trade tensions between the two countries.
The Facebook ads that Russian operatives purchased to try to influence U.S. voters during the 2016 election highlighted the Black Lives Matter movement and other hot-button issues, said a person familiar with the situation. (CNBC)
*Facebook's stock just had its worst day since November (CNBC)
In today's GOP Senate runoff, bombastic conservative Christian candidate Roy Moore faces the appointed, business-backed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange. Despite Strange's support from the Chamber of Commerce, GOP Senate leaders and President Trump, Moore has consistently led in the polls. (CNBC)
Walt Disney is testing the first major redesign of its retail stores in seven years, adding interactive experiences and live streams of theme park parades to lure consumers tempted by online shopping. It's launching a new shopping website. (Reuters)
Amazon's (AMZN) Alexa digital assistant will be integrated with its Amazon Music service as of today on both iOS and Android. Earlier this year Alexa surpassed mobile as the No. 1 way Amazon Music users listen. (WSJ)
STOCKS TO WATCH
Ascena Retail (ASNA) reported a surprise profit, with adjusted quarterly earnings of 5 cents per share. The parent of Ann Taylor and other apparel sellers had been expected to post a loss of 3 cents per share for the quarter. Revenue also beat forecasts, and comparable sales fell only half as much as expected. The stock was 15 percent higher in the premarket.
Red Hat (RHT) reported adjusted quarterly profit of 77 cents per share, 10 cents above estimates, with revenue also above forecasts. The Linux software distributor also raised its full-year forecast, amid strong demand for its cloud-based products.
Alibaba (BABA) announced a plan to invest more than $15 billion to build a global logistics network, and is also paying $807 million to increase its stake in China logistics firm Cainiao Smart Logistics to 51 percent from 47 percent.
Apple (AAPL) has been asked by private equity firm KKR (KKR) to switch sides in the bidding for Toshiba's chip unit, according to a Bloomberg report. Apple has been part of a group led by Bain Capital, but KKR wants Apple to join its joint bid with Western Digital (WDC) for the unit.
Nestle (NSRGY) set an operating profit margin target of up to 18.5 percent by 2020 and also said it would speed up stock buybacks. The food products maker has been under pressure from activist investor Third Point to improve its performance.
WATERCOOLER
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been a staunch supporter of Trump, so the speculation was that he would not allow his players to kneel during the national anthem on last night. The Cowboys and their owner did kneel, though not during the anthem. (AP)
A diamond weighing 1,109 carats, the largest found since 1905), has sold for $53 million. The Lesedi La Rona was found in a Botswana mine in November 2015. It is the third biggest diamond ever found, and the second largest of gem quality. (CNBC)