Public Markets 8 Hours

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 8:38 PM ET

Markets

Stocks in Asia were poised to gain Thursday after benign US inflation data eased rate-hike fears. Wall Street ended mixed as the tame CPI report offset Middle East tensions and strong AI earnings. The inflation relief boosted technology names. Treasury yields and the dollar partially reversed their morning declines. Gold steadied near $4,400/oz after the data, while precious metals climbed, with gold up 0.6% for a fourth straight session and silver rising 1.2%. Oil futures ended little changed amid cautious trading focused on the Strait of Hormuz.

Equities & Earnings

Treasury Wine Estates posted a 36% earnings drop as global alcohol consumption declined. CapitaLand Investment reported a first-half profit recovery driven by higher fund contributions. ASX Ltd missed full-year profit estimates as costs grew ahead of incoming CEO Anthony Attia. Origin Energy beat estimates on Australian EV and battery uptake. ANZ Group posted a third-quarter profit rise on deposit and loan growth. Cisco reported a sharp profit jump as AI orders rolled in. Cerebras swung to a $450.5 million quarterly loss but lifted its full-year outlook. StubHub failed to turn a profit in Q2 despite surging World Cup revenue. Brinker International guided for another year of profitable growth as Chili’s momentum continued. Forbes fired its top editor after discovering a secret $6 million payment. Harrods is fighting the Al Fayed estate over hundreds of sex abuse claims.

Fixed Income & Credit

A QTS subsidiary held investor calls for a potential $2.85 billion bond offering. AI cloud provider Lambda Inc. wrapped up a $926 million leveraged-loan deal tied to Nvidia chips. Goldman Sachs is doubling down on structured ETFs giving stocklike returns with limited downside. The SEC denied Egan-Jones Ratings permission to re-enter government debt and ABS grading. An op-ed argues too tight a limit on stablecoin rules could blunt competition. The Treasury scaled back scrutiny of US shell companies, not enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act.

Commodities

The USDA made a surprise cut to its corn yield projection for 2026/27 to 180.7 bushels an acre, down from 183 in July. Colombia partially resumed coffee exports after the earthquake. A basic materials roundup covers gold, silver, palm oil and Glencore. Americans are paying record-high gasoline and diesel prices this late in the year. An Arabian Sea oil spill from a grounded tanker threatens bird and turtle habitat. Rio Tinto’s aluminum smelter received a A$2.5 billion ($1.8 billion) government bailout.

Energy

An energy roundup includes oil futures, E.ON, and Channel Infrastructure. US natural gas futures rose on hotter weather forecasts. North Sea oil producers have been told to speed up well closures, with one company fined over £16mn.

Tech & AI

Apple is in talks to pay publishers for Siri AI content. Wall Street giants are betting Nvidia’s AI chips will hold value for years. A tech roundup covers Core Weave and Super Micro Computer. An op-ed asks what problems AI should solve. Joshua Kushner, the new Lakers co-owner, is a venture capitalist with big bets on AI and health insurance. Paramount has discussed creating a board to ensure CNN’s independence.

Corporate & Deals

Mark Walter’s insurers are rushing to unwind affiliated investments as prosecutors scrutinize books. Walter sold the Lakers and seeks cash to pay loans amid a DOJ probe. Carvana is getting a balance sheet tune-up; short bets have fallen sharply. An opinion piece says New York may ban subcontracting delivery workers to help the Teamsters unionize Amazon. Two Sigma’s co-founder offered his wife $633 million in divorce, her lawyer said.

Geopolitics & Regulation

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Latin American militaries to ramp up anti-cartel efforts. Palestinians were trapped by settlers for days as the Israeli army left, spotlighting settler violence. Israeli settlers are out of control; Netanyahu’s ouster might rein in the worst violence. President Trump’s secret flight out of Turkey was stunning, but for Putin it’s “a regular Tuesday.” Which Trump officials joined him on that flight. Trump is being sued over a plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts. US press groups sued Trump over fast access to Truth Social. Karoline Leavitt is leaving her role as White House press secretary. The FAA plans antennas and comms fixes after an incident with a helicopter carrying Trump. Trump wants the MMR vaccine split into three shots; doctors say it’s a bad idea. ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver electric shocks. An ICE agent pointed a gun at a woman in a car in Virginia. A former cardiologist questions Trump’s health. Prediction firms are flagging insider traders, but many won’t face charges. China is winning the race for the Ice Silk Road in the Arctic. In the South Carolina Senate runoff, Darline Graham and Ralph Norman advance. David Crowley eked out a win in the Wisconsin governor primary; polls were wrong. AOC distanced herself from “Woke 1.0,” and she navigates new territory with big choices ahead. Democrats are said to have pulled back from the edge of disaster.

Other News

A total solar eclipse blacked out Europe on Wednesday; see photos and videos. Rescuers freed a quake victim in Colombia, a bright spot. A driver set a hydrogen-powered vehicle record at over 406 mph. Europe faces heat waves and wildfires, forcing travelers to adapt. The record-breaking El Niño is already causing effects on three continents. Odd Lots Live is coming to Los Angeles on September 17. A financial services roundup covers Hannover Re, ABN AMRO, and Suncorp.