Morning Brief

More records set to fall at Wall Street open after Dow posts its 12th record close of the year

BY THE NUMBERS

Futures were higher this morning, pointing to new intraday record highs for the Dow and S&P 500. The Dow posted its first record high since January on Thursday. The Dow's record close was its 12th this year and its 100th since President Donald Trump's election victory in November 2016. (CNBC)

* Cramer Remix: This rally could be 'built to last' (CNBC)
* The Dow just triggered a chart signal that could mean 'six to nine months of a higher stock market' (CNBC)

Apple's (AAPL) $999 iPhone XS and $1,099 XS Max went on sale today with the traditionally long queues outside stores missing in some flagship locations. Analysts expect the new devices to give a boost to Apple's average selling price. (CNBC)

Adobe Systems (ADBE) will buy marketing firm Marketo from private equity firm Vista Equity Partners for $4.75 billion. CNBC had reported Thursday that the deal was imminent, with Marketo intended to complement Adobe's digital marketing business.

There are no economic reports due today, and there are no quarterly earnings on today's calendar either this morning or after today's closing bell. (CNBC)

IN THE NEWS TODAY

Walmart (WMT) has warned that new U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports may prompt the retailer to raise prices. This according to a letter from Walmart to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, that was seen by Reuters.

* To avoid a trade war with the US, Japan may have to make concessions (CNBC)

Opposition to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has climbed in the past month, following his confirmation hearings and a sexual assault accusation that has stalled his confirmation process, a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed.

* Under right terms, Kavanaugh accuser may testify after all (AP)

President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen has been asked by special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators about "all aspects of Trump's dealings with Russia," according to a new ABC News report.

According to a new survey commissioned by the Republican National Committee, more than 60 percent of voters said the Republican tax law benefits "large corporations and rich Americans" over "middle class families. (Bloomberg News)

* The GOP's growing identity crisis (Axios)

Trump put names to the remains of two U.S. soldiers who served in the Korean War, in what marks the first tangible results to come from June's historic summit between the president and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (CNBC)

Three people are dead and three others are injured after a 26-year-old woman opened fire with a handgun at a Rite Aid (RAD) warehouse center near Aberdeen, Maryland. (USA Today)

American Airlines Group (AAL) is the latest to announce it is raising checked baggage fees by $5, joining Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Continental (UAL), and JetBlue (JBLU). The first checked bag will cost $30, with a second bag costing $40. (CNBC)

Wells Fargo (WFC) plans to cut its workforce by five to ten percent over the next three years, as the bank aims to reduce costs by $4 billion by 2020. Wells Fargo currently employs around 264,500 workers. (CNBC)

Facebook (FB) will drop on-site support for political campaigns, something Facebook, Google (GOOGL), and Twitter (TWTR) have done in the past. Facebook said it could offer assistance through an online portal instead. (Reuters)

Amazon (AMZN) announced 15 new Alexa-enabled products in less than 90 minutes at an event in Seattle, further cementing the company's commitment to the voice assistant space. CNBC has the full rundown here.

STOCKS TO WATCH

Micron Technology (MU) reported adjusted quarterly profit of $3.53 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $3.34, with the chip maker's revenue also topping forecasts. However, the stock erased an initial gain after company executives said U.S. tariffs on China goods would impact its financial results for as much as one year.

McDonald's (MCD) increased its quarterly dividend to $1.16 per share from $1.01, a rise of 15 percent. The restaurant chain has now increased its dividend for 42 straight years.

Texas Instruments (TXN) increased its quarterly dividend to 77 cents per share from 62 cents, a jump of 24 percent. The semiconductor maker also announced a new $12 billion stock repurchase program, on top of $7.4 billion remaining from a previously authorized program.

United Natural Foods (UNFI) fell nine cents short of consensus estimates with adjusted quarterly profit of 76 cents per share, and the food distributor also saw revenue miss Street forecasts. The results were hurt by higher transportation costs, among other factors.

Steelcase (SCS) reported adjusted quarterly profit of 36 cents per share, seven cents above estimates, while the office furniture maker's revenue also came in above analyst projections. Steelcase also gave better than expected guidance for the current quarter.

Tesla's (TSLA) vice president of global supply management, Liam O'Connor, has resigned, according to a Bloomberg report. O'Connor is the fifth senior executive to leave the automaker within a few weeks.

Medtronic (MDT) bought Mazor Robotics (MZOR) for about $1.64 billion in cash, or $58.50 per share. The medical equipment maker had already held an 11 percent stake in the robotic systems company.

WATERCOOLER

Some Cleveland Browns fans in Ohio received free Bud Light last night after the team snapped a 19-game winless streak with a 21-17 win against the New York Jets. The beer was locked inside fridges that were opened by a master control. (ESPN)

WATCH: Here's why the Dow doesn't really matter

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Why the Dow doesn’t matter