Morning Money Memo…

Hotel guests could soon be heading to their rooms without ever seeing the front desk. New programs are helping speed up the check-in process for busy travelers or, in at least one case, letting them go straight to their rooms by using their smartphone to unlock doors.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts today became the first chain to let guests unlock doors with their phones.

Hilton is the only other hotel chain to publicly acknowledge plans for mobile room keys.

Marriott launched the ability to check in through its app at 330 North American hotels last year. By the end of this year, the program will be live at all 4,000 Marriott hotels worldwide.

Auto Industry Numbers

The auto industry reports October numbers today, with analysts forecasting more gains.

So far, Chrysler is the star performer with a 22 percent rise in October. Jeep has been the firm's hottest brand recently.

Nissan's U.S. sales rose more than 13 percent, a sign that auto sales continue to be strong.

The Japanese automaker says high consumer confidence and low gas prices raised sales of everything from small cars to SUVs. Marketing chief Fred Diaz says he expects the same factors to boost sales in November and December.

Gas Prices Keep Falling?

Another drop in gas prices is expected when The Energy Department releases its latest weekly report this afternoon. Several surveys say the average price of regular gas is at or below $3 in most states. Pump prices are now at their lowest in nearly four years.

Stocks - Election Effect

Wall Street stocks begin November trading on a positive note. Last month ended with record highs and a rebound from the deepest slump in years. The S&P 500 rose 7 percent in October, helped by a strong quarterly profits season and expectations that a Republican takeover in the Senate would be a boost for energy, banking and medical equipment device firms.