Public Markets 3 Hours

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 5:38 PM ET

Equities

U.S. stocks ended mixed as benign CPI data offset Middle East deadlock, while an AI earnings bonanza boosted tech names. Inflation relief lifted broader markets and shares of Wendy’s. Cisco reported a higher fourth-quarter profit, receiving billions in orders from AI hyperscalers. Brinker International posted fourth-quarter revenue of $1.54 billion, driven by its Chili’s chain’s Triple Dipper and burgers, and guided for another year of profitable growth.

Commodities

Precious metals rose on the inflation data: gold settled 0.6% higher for a fourth consecutive session, and silver gained 1.2%. Oil futures ended little changed, with traders focused on the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas futures climbed ahead of weekly inventory data, supported by hotter weather forecasts. Americans are paying record high fuel prices so late in the year. Meanwhile, coffee exports from Colombia partially resumed through Buenaventura port after the earthquake.

Debt & Corporate Finance

Lambda Inc., an AI cloud provider backed by Nvidia, closed a $926 million leveraged-loan deal to finance AI chip purchases, the latest in a borrowing binge for AI infrastructure. Goldman Sachs is expanding its “boomer candy” ETF lineup, which uses derivatives for stocklike returns with limited downside. Paramount has discussed creating a board to ensure CNN’s editorial independence. TWG Global is seeking to refinance loans and unwind affiliated investments as prosecutors examine its books. In the divorce trial of Two Sigma co-founder John Overdeck, his wife’s lawyer said he offered $633 million but schemed to leave her with as little as possible.

Regulation & Policy

The Treasury will not enforce the reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act, scaling back scrutiny of U.S. shell companies intended to combat money laundering. Separately, President Trump was sued over a plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts, with allegations he stands to gain by giving "market-moving" government information to paying customers.