Public Markets 8 Hours

Last updated: August 9, 2026, 11:35 AM ET

Equities

U.S. stocks extended their record run as Blockbuster earnings from the largest companies eased concerns about AI spending and inflation. Tech shares drove volatility, leaving stock funds up 10.6% so far in 2026 amid shifting AI expectations. A leveraged ETF boom is amplifying intraday momentum plays, creating new ways to profit from sudden tech-stock volatility. In Europe, the continent’s hot stock markets are attracting money managers who see the rally as more durable than a short-term trade. Asian carmakers are cashing in as high petrol prices boost U.S. demand for hybrids, with July sales jumping a fifth for Honda, Hyundai and Toyota. In mining, Barrick chairman John Thornton’s planned overhaul of the company is facing investor backlash after he seized control from the long-time CEO.

Fixed Income & Credit

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled fresh eagerness to keep bond yields from spiking, a move Wall Street sees as reflecting bond-market angst. Meanwhile, the liquidity of private credit funds remains a point of contention, with managers using differing definitions and sometimes aggressive math to project strength.

Commodities & Energy

Iran is holding firm on the Strait of Hormuz, using it as leverage to push for the return to a June memorandum of understanding—demanding the release of frozen assets and an end to its naval blockade. In the Black Sea, Turkey has resumed allowing ships to transit its straits after unexplained delays due to heightened security risks. Romania extended the output of its second nuclear reactor at Cernavoda by nine days after explosive works on the Danube increased river flow, boosting cooling capacity.

Currencies & Emerging Markets

Central banks in emerging Asia are finding innovative ways to support their currencies without dipping into foreign-exchange reserves, as currency defense gets a makeover in the face of Middle East tensions and higher-for-longer U.S. rates.

Crypto & Prediction Markets

A businessman with red flags funneled $100 million into Trump crypto, highlighting the ease with which investors of shady background can pump money into presidential ventures. Separately, Kalshi co-founder Tarek Mansour rejects management advice as the prediction-market company aims to provide a “mathematical, objective” view of the world.

Insurance

Auto insurers are increasingly denying claims: they failed to pay out on 45% of liability and medical claims resolved last year, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. The growing risk of nonpayment is leaving victims of crashes facing thousands in out-of-pocket costs.