Public Markets 8 Hours

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 5:39 AM ET

Equities

U.S. futures edged higher ahead of the July inflation report, with tech earnings from Super Micro and Core Weave reigniting the AI trade. European indexes mostly fell in opening trade as Middle East tensions weighed on sentiment, while the FTSE 100 slipped again and the pound held steady. In Asia, South Korean chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung rallied on a report that Temasek plans to invest, while AGL Energy jumped the most in six months on strong battery performance.

Vestas Wind Systems shares surged 18.5% after the wind-turbine maker posted higher second-quarter earnings and raised its full-year margin guidance. Foxconn beat profit estimates by 35% as AI hardware sales surged, marking another strong quarter for the Taiwanese company. ABN AMRO boosted its guidance after operating income climbed 13% in Q2, while a separate Bloomberg report said the Dutch bank also beat estimates on higher fees and lending income. Shoprite surged the most in 11 months as Africa's largest supermarket chain forecast earnings growth of up to 14.7% driven by its e-commerce unit.

Hannover Re posted a lower net profit on currency hits but reaffirmed full-year guidance. Sanrio shares plunged as much as 20% — the most since 2014 — after its first-quarter operating income missed estimates. Godrej Consumer Products shares fell after CEO Sudhir Sitapati resigned with immediate effect, surprising market watchers. Cracker Barrel's CEO Julie Masino quietly blessed efforts to find her successor while publicly charting a turnaround, opening the door to her own exit. Paramount executives said leaving California is on the table as the antitrust battle over its Warner Bros. deal drags on.

Activist investor Elliott nominated six candidates for the board of Northern Star Resources, stepping up its campaign to improve the Australian gold miner's performance. Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said he will step down when his term ends in 2027, deepening a leadership crisis at the Indian conglomerate. DMG Mori aims to raise ¥48.2 billion ($302 million) through a global share sale as international investors show strong appetite for Japanese stocks. JPMorgan raised its target for Singapore stocks, citing robust economic growth and a narrowing valuation gap with developed peers.

Singapore Airlines lost nearly $800 million on its Air India bet, and an executive said more pain is forecast, calling the timing "could not have been worse." GoTo Group faces potential removal from MSCI indexes after its share price plunged, threatening the Indonesian tech firm's inclusion. India's small and mid-cap funds remain hot with investors, outpacing large caps comfortably this year.

Fixed Income & Currencies

Eurozone government bond yields rose ahead of U.S. CPI data as investors exercised caution. South Korea's 30-year bond yield climbed to a record, driven by elevated energy prices and weaker demand from life insurers. Business development companies are paying more to borrow as the Federal Reserve's rate hikes tighten credit conditions.

The dollar traded steady but faces more volatility from U.S. inflation data and the Middle East conflict, Commerzbank said. Yen traders are boosting options activity ahead of the CPI release for flexibility amid a lack of consensus on the yen's direction, while intervention by Japan and the U.S. has had only limited impact on the currency's weakness. China authorized Deutsche Bank as the first non-Chinese lender to settle yuan transactions in Europe, expanding its clearing network.

Commodities

Oil prices extended gains as markets remained skeptical that a deal to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was imminent. The IEA said global oil demand is set for a deeper contraction this year as renewed Middle East hostilities and shipping disruptions push up fuel prices. UAE's Adnoc is offering to shuttle Iraqi oil exports through the strait, using its dark-transit playbook to transport Basrah crude to Asian refiners. The U.S. asked Ukraine to halt strikes on tankers using the Russian port of Novorossiysk, while JD Vance separately urged Kyiv to stop targeting vessels collecting Kazakh oil.

Gold rose ahead of U.S. inflation data as traders awaited key figures. China's commitment to buy large volumes of U.S. soybeans is being tested as private traders hold back, complicating the trade truce pledge. UK power supplies will likely be stretched during a solar eclipse, with the grid operator calling for extra generation capacity.

Derivatives & Market Structure

South Korea will require new investors in single-stock leveraged ETFs to undergo mock trading exercises, further tightening rules on highly risky products. India's index-options trading volumes slumped 27% in the first week of a new closing auction mechanism, one of the country's biggest market-structure overhauls in years.

IPOs, Fund Flows & Deals

Norway's $2.3 trillion fund posted its best quarterly return since 2020, helped by gains from large holdings in technology companies. Turing, a Japanese self-driving startup, plans a U.S. office and targets a $10 billion IPO valuation, aiming for mass production of its driver-assistance software by 2030. HSBC's global insurance head stepped down as Europe's largest bank continues to overhaul operations. AstraZeneca's potential $400 billion deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb collapsed after a chorus of investors revolted. Mortgage giant UWM secured a $2.1 billion lifeline from Oaktree after a bad trade led to a $603 million loss.