Public Markets 8 Hours

Last updated: August 11, 2026, 11:34 PM ET

Public Markets

Equities

U.S. stocks slid for a second straight session as investors awaited crucial inflation data, with one strategist advising to "sleep with one eye open." The Nikkei Stock Average was flat at 66,988.82, as gains in financial and energy shares offset losses in electronics and pharmaceutical stocks. Asian tech shares rallied, helping broad markets climb ahead of the US CPI release, while crude oil also gained. Global investors are increasingly favoring Taiwan over South Korea stocks after the July AI selloff, drawn to steadier earnings prospects. A rotation into China's biggest tech firms from AI infrastructure stocks will be put to the test as earnings are due this week.

Sanrio shares plunged as much as 20%, the most in over 12 years, after first-quarter operating income missed market estimates. Rakuten shares fell the most in six months after its quarterly operating profit missed analyst forecasts. India's small and mid-cap funds continue to attract investor inflows, with smaller stocks comfortably outpacing large caps this year.

Currencies

The WSJ Dollar Index ended Tuesday flat. The Singapore dollar weakened against the greenback as investors await US inflation data for cues on the Fed's policy path. Yen traders are ramping up options market activity ahead of the key data, turning to derivatives for flexibility amid a lack of consensus on the currency's direction. A senior strategist at Bank of New York Mellon has created a katsu curry index, rivaling the Big Mac gauge, to show just how weak the yen really is as the impact of recent intervention fades.

Fixed Income & Credit

Indonesian bonds, the worst performers in Asia, may bounce back as a new central bank chief supports the currency and authorities address fiscal stability concerns. Signs of life are returning to the Shanghai free-trade zone's bond market, which went quiet in late 2023 after a crackdown on local government borrowing. Jane Street is repaying $5.5 billion of floating-rate loans as part of a broader overhaul of its $11 billion debt load. Nvidia 's show of financial force is soothing credit markets, with six of the biggest names in finance helping ease investor anxiety over its swelling commitments to backstop the AI boom.

Commodities

Oil rose in early Asian trade and crude prices remain volatile as markets react to developments in the Middle East. Oil advanced for a sixth day on skepticism about a deal that would restore energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Gold edged higher as traders awaited US inflation data to provide fresh clues on the Federal Reserve's interest-rate path. Panama Canal fees have hit a record high as El Niño and geopolitical tensions choke shipping routes.

Corporate Highlights

Cracker Barrel 's CEO Julie Masino quietly blessed efforts to find her successor while publicly charting a path out of a controversial rebranding. Paramount CEO David Ellison has suggested a possible move out of California as the antitrust battle over the company's Warner Bros. deal drags on. Blackstone and Quebec's La Caisse pension fund have agreed to acquire a 25% stake in Air Canada's Aeroplan loyalty program for nearly $2 billion. Super Micro Computer reported a quarterly profit of $1.17 billion, surging from $195.2 million a year earlier. CoreWeave shares jumped as revenue doubled from a year earlier, with a $104 billion sales backlog showing strong demand for cloud computing. Cava Group said climbing customer traffic boosted its quarterly profit, with sales bouncing back from recent cyclospora outbreaks. Constellation Software posted a second-quarter profit of $274 million, up from $56 million, driven by acquisition revenue growth. H&R Block revenue increased to $1.14 billion and the company raised its quarterly dividend by 10% to 46 cents a share. Aurora Cannabis is reviewing an unsolicited takeover bid from rival Curaleaf for about $272 million. General Motors set up a $4.5 billion safety net to avoid parts shortages, as the auto industry has been stung by supply chain disruptions.