How low can markets go?

A bond broker told me this morning that after a quick look at the screens, it appears the world continues to fall apart. Thankfully, the world can turn to The Avengers, who have added a new team member to stand beside Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye against the forces of chaos: Toronto-Dominion Bank CEO Ed Clark. Toronto-Dominion was one of four Canadian banks that ranked among the world's 10 strongest, based on a recent survey by Bloomberg. Clark will bring his powers of principle-based regulation and high capital requirements to The Avengers, helping to fill out a portfolio that is long magic hammers, rage monsters and black corsetry but short on the good old-fashioned principles that have made Canada's financial system the soundest for four straight years.

• "Falling apart" may be a little strong but financial markets are having a bit of a tough go so far this morning. Major European stock indices are down between 1.8- and 2.8 percent and U.S. stock index futures are pointing to early losses. Oil is down more than 2 percent, leading a broad decline in commodity markets that has driven the Reuters/CRB index to its lowest level since mid-2010. Apart from that, we're good.

• Our market coverage needs to be comprehensive and specific today. The word "Greece" doesn't quite do it. On the oil front, we need to talk about recent Chinese economic data, rising U.S. crude inventories, evidence of a flagging U.S. economic rebound, and yes, the inability of Greek's recently elected party leaders to settle on a coalition government that would promise the sort of fiscal and monetary reforms that would ensure the release of bailout funds. Gold continues to lose ground as the U.S. dollar advances, but we need to ask just how bad things need to get in Europe before money starts flowing back into bullion as a safe-haven.

• With regard to stocks, we need to keep asking whether the potential impact on earnings growth from the mess in Europe and slowdown in China has been priced in, and if not, why not? Trading volume and volatility are also important talking points today.

• Among the individual stock stories we're looking at, we continue to pursue fresh angles on JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Big Trading Loss, or BTL. Ina Drew, who oversees the unit that placed the wrong-way bets, appears set to lose her job, but will the loss be enough to push Dimon towards the door? Heads are set to roll at JPMorgan, but will any heads also end up on regulators' trophy walls? More broadly speaking, has the trade pushed the industry a step closer to Glass Steagal again?

• Yahoo! Inc. CEO Scott Thompson is handing in his resignation after shareholder Third Point "uncovered" discrepancies on Thompson's resume. To be specific, Third Point was scandalized to discover that on one regulatory filing and Yahoo's website, Thompson's bio claims he got a BA in computer science from Stonehill College, when in fact he got a degree in accounting. No matter that the correct information is listed on other regulatory filings and press releases. Stonehill College? Is that it? It's not like the guy claimed he got a PhD from Oxford or a law degree from Harvard, or, like me, a BA from St. Francis Xavier! I really want to hear from a top-level headhunter or, even better, a corporate governance expert who can tell me whether this oversight -- and it appears to be an oversight of monumentally little import -- merits the ouster of a CEO. In the meantime, I will make some minor edits to my own bio. So, no, I wasn't exactly a roady for Maiden on their Number of the Beast tour, but I did catch a guitar pick thrown into the audience. Po-TAE-toe, po-TAH-toe, I say.

• Oh, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg turns 28 today. We'll talk about the impending IPO and what a 28-year-old could possible do with billions of dollars. Maybe buy a new hoody. Or a t-shirt that is completely devoid of colour, yet not white.

Every morning Managing Editor Marty Cej writes a "chase note" to BNN's editorial staff listing the stories and events that will be in the spotlight that day. Click here to have it delivered to your inbox before the trading day begins.