With the first trading session of the year on deck, investors are sketching their market predictions for 2017. Which sectors will be hot? Will the oil rally continue? Is the IPO market poised for a comeback? More record M&A? Elections results in France and Germany? How will Brexit turn out? Other trade agreements? Tensions with China, North Korea, Russia, Mexico? Upcoming U.S. monetary policy? How will a Trump presidency shape the markets? Any other stock-related tea leaves?
Economy
The manufacturing sector of the world's No. 2 economy expanded for a fifth month in December, another survey has confirmed, and even posted its fastest rate of improvement since January 2013. China's Caixin manufacturing PMI came in at 51.9%, up from November's 50.9, while the official PMI stood at 51.4 - the second highest monthly reading of 2016. The data caps a year of steady improvement and signals policy makers may have