LAS VEGAS SHOOTING
Police sought clues this morning to explain why a retiree with a penchant for gambling but no criminal record set up a sniper's nest in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and poured gunfire onto a concert below, slaying dozens of people before killing himself. (Reuters)
The gunman who opened fire on more than 22,000 concertgoers in Las Vegas on Sunday killed at least 59 people and left 527 injured. The suspect, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, was found dead in his 32nd-floor room at the hotel in an apparent suicide. (CNBC)
*Family, friends mourn, honor loved ones who were killed (AP)
*Gun dealer says, 'my gut fell out from underneath me' (USA Today)
President Donald Trump says he will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. He called the shooting massacre "an act of pure evil" after offering his condolences to the victims. Top Democrats urged the Republican-controlled Congress to take action to prevent similar mass shootings.(CNBC)
*White House: 'Only person with blood on their hands is the shooter' (CNBC)
Shares of gun stocks were slightly higher in premarket Tuesday. The gains in the stocks apparently came as traders bet on a pickup in arms sales ahead of potentially tighter regulations as a result of the shooting. Casino stocks fell on the news on Monday. (CNBC)
IN THE NEWS TODAY
Trump is expected to fly to Puerto Rico today to view the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Maria. Trump will have to navigate resentment from Puerto Ricans frustrated that they are still struggling with basic necessities two weeks after they were hit by the worst hurricane in 90 years. (Reuters)
The Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 percent of its diplomats from Washington, U.S. officials said on Monday, in response to last week's U.S. move to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by a similar amount. (AP)
First daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have used at least three separate personal e-mail accounts for White House business, according to Politico. Reports emerged last month that both senior aides had previously used their respective personal accounts for official information.
Goldman Sachs is weighing a new trading operation dedicated to bitcoin and other digital currencies, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. The people told the Journal the Wall Street firm is in the early stages and may not proceed.
The massive data breach at Equifax may be larger than originally thought. Mandiant, a cybersecurity investigations firm retained by Equifax to look into the breach, found that 2.5 million more consumers were potentially affected than originally estimated, bringing the total to 145.5 million.
Former Equifax CEO Richard Smith will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Digital Commerce & Consumer Protection this morning on the data breach that impacted millions of Americans' information. (CNBC)
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is meeting London transport regulators today after the ride-hailing app lost its license to operate in the British capital. Khosrowshahi has written in a letter to staff that Uber would appeal the decision, which was likely based on the company's past behavior. (CNBC)
*Uber investors clash with board over voting power (WSJ)
Facebook says roughly 10 million people saw ads bought by Russian groups trying to influence the 2016 U.S. election, the first time the company has shared the reach and potential impact of such ads. It also said it's "possible" that there are more such ads that it hasn't yet found. (CNBC)
Walmart.com will soon begin offering same-day delivery to some customers in New York City, and it has purchased local startup Parcel to help with the behind-the-scenes logistics. (Recode)
Scientists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne won the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics for decisive contributions in the observation of gravitational waves, the award-giving body said on today. Physics is the second of this year's crop of Nobel Prizes. (Reuters)
STOCKS TO WATCH
Dow component General Electric (GE) is among our stocks to watch, following news that Chairman Jeff Immelt has stepped down three months ahead of schedule. John Flannery, who succeeded Immelt as CEO, will take over as chairman.
Tesla (TLSA) missed its goal of building 1,500 Model 3 vehicles during the quarter, reporting that it built just 260 during the July through September period. Tesla said there are no fundamental issues with Model 3 production and that it understands what needs to be fixed. Overall, Tesla delivered 26,150 vehicles during the third quarter.
Wells Fargo (WFC) Chief Executive Officer Tim Sloan will be appear before the Senate Banking Committee today, facing questions about the bank's sales practices, mortgage fees, and other issues.
Sony (SNE) said Andrew House, who has headed the Sony Interactive Entertainment unit since 2011, will leave the company by the end of the year and be replaced by the unit's Deputy President John Kodera. Smith is credited with steering PlayStation 4 sales to the top spot among videogame consoles.
American Express (AXP) won dismissal of a lawsuit accusing the credit card issuer of misleading shareholders about the loss of its 16-year relationship with warehouse retailer Costco (COST). The suit contended that American Express downplayed the financial significance of that relationship, which ended when Costco aligned with Visa (V).
WATERCOOLER
Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty, frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, died on Monday night, his manager said. Petty was known for numerous hit songs, including "I Won't Back Down" in 1989, "Free Fallin'" in 1989, and "American Girl" in 1976. He was 66 years old. (CNBC)