Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: August 13, 2026, 5:38 AM ET
Equities
Stock futures wsj.com edged higher early Wednesday as Asian markets climbed on artificial-intelligence enthusiasm. European indexes wsj.com were mostly higher, lifted by financials and technology, though London’s FTSE 100 fell as miners retreated. Adyen shares surged more than 9% after the payments processor reported first-half earnings growth and accelerating revenues. CK Hutchison bloomberg.com posted a sharp profit jump in the first half, driven by hefty gains from asset disposals by the Hong Kong conglomerate. Antofagasta wsj.com cut its full-year production guidance after heavy rain in Chile forced a temporary mine closure, sending mining stocks lower.
Fixed Income
The US government is about to sell 30-year bonds bloomberg.com at the highest interest rate in a quarter of a century after a historic selloff, stirring speculation about further borrowing shifts. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s central bank widened access to Open Market Operations bloomberg.com, allowing individuals and non-bank institutions to participate for the first time.
Commodities
Oil futures wsj.com fell as investors assessed a weaker demand outlook and stalled talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Gold wsj.com gained after US inflation data came in line with expectations, reinforcing bets that the Federal Reserve will keep rates on hold in September.
Freight & Shipping
Maersk chief called for a major investment push to ease trade strains as port bottlenecks boost freight rates and profits. Hapag-Lloyd wsj.com earnings rebounded in the second quarter, driven by strong Asian exports and US demand. The trucking industry bloomberg.com is booming again, but drivers remain unhappy about working conditions, a topic explored in a recent podcast bloomberg.com.
Energy
Gulf oil giants nytimes.com are spending billions to build alternative routes around the Strait of Hormuz, recognizing that sole reliance on the chokepoint is no longer tenable. Orsted wsj.com reported that all projects remain on schedule despite second-quarter profit being hit by impairments and higher long-dated US interest rates.
Regulation
South Korea ft.com ordered new investors to take mandatory classes after a single-stock trading frenzy, tightening curbs on leveraged ETFs introduced less than three months ago.