US equity markets retreated as politics sadly dominated investor sentiment - Dow down -142-points or -0.53%, paring an earlier decline of over >200-points. The broader S&P500 -0.84%, logging its largest single session decline since 23 August. The technology-centric NASDAQ lost -1.46% to book its worst loss of the month to date. Netflix Inc dropped a further -4.26% to extend the streaming company's decline over the past five sessions to -15.63% amid concerns around increasing competition. Amazon.com fell -2.45% and below its 200-day moving average. Broadcom Inc fell ~2.7% in the extended session after the chip maker announced a US$3B convertible-stock offering. Broadcom said it plans to use the proceeds to repay debt. In August, Broadcom offered US$10.7B to buy Symantec Corp.'s (-1.64%) enterprise security business. Starbucks Corporation fell -0.98% despite a European Union court ruling that a tax deal between the Dutch government and the coffee company did not amount to illegal state support Levi Strauss & Co rose ~1.4% in extended trading after the apparel maker's board of directors approved a +7% dividend increase to US$0.15c per share. After the markets' close, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed earlier speculation in announcing an impeachment inquiry into President Trump following reports that Trump pressed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son. However, President Trump said that he has authorised the release of the “complete, fully declassified and unredacted” transcript of a phone call with the Ukrainian President.
