01 Stock Market
As of Aug 13, U.S. stock index futures performed as follows: Dow Jones minis were up 0.26%, S&P 500 minis rose 0.16%, and Nasdaq 100 minis inched 0.01% higher. Traders digested a light macro calendar and eyed upcoming corporate catalysts, keeping broad sentiment constructive but measured after the prior session’s tech-led rally.
Notable Stock Movers: Freight Technologies (FRGT) up 21.06% at $2.93 after an upbeat logistics outlook; Dell Technologies (DELL) up 4.23% at $505.00 on continued AI-server demand; IREN Ltd (IREN) up 5.91% at $46.25 following robust mining capacity news; Ondas Holdings (ONDS) up 6.65% at $10.42 amid defense-contract momentum; optical-component maker Coherent (COHR) fell 7.02% to $330.66 on guidance concerns; AI-hardware designer Cerebras (CBRS) slid 15.17% to $222.31 despite topping earnings expectations; chip bellwether NVIDIA (NVDA) dipped 0.15% to $223.75 as investors assessed its new financing initiative.
Chinese ADRs were mixed in early dealings: e-commerce giant JD.com (JD) fell 3.99% to $30.35 even after beating revenue forecasts, while Alibaba (BABA) fell 1.17% to $123.75 and Bilibili (BILI) declined 2.10% to $17.24. Conversely, online education firm Four Seasons Education (FEDU) gained 2.12% at $7.70, and Zai Lab (ZLAB) advanced 2.71% to $26.18, reflecting selective interest in healthcare names.
02 Other Markets
• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.38%, to 4.67%.
• U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.068% to 99.91.
• WTI crude oil futures fell 1.99% to 81.61 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures fell 0.53% to 4 443.90 USD/ounce.
03 Key News
1. Rocket Lab filed to sell up to $1.94 billion in new common stock, pressuring shares pre-market. The satellite-launch provider said the potential offering will fund growth initiatives and working capital, while investors weighed dilution risks, sending the stock lower in early trading.
2. Private-equity firm Thoma Bravo agreed to acquire insurance platform Accelerant in an all-cash deal exceeding $4 billion. The takeover, announced in a joint statement, will give Accelerant access to greater capital and strategic support to expand its specialty-insurance marketplace. Accelerant’s U.S.-listed shares jumped more than 40% in pre-market action.
3. IBM announced a strategic alliance with OpenAI to embed GPT-5.6 models into its Consulting Advantage platform. The collaboration enables regulated-industry clients to deploy advanced generative-AI solutions, supported by thousands of newly certified IBM consultants. IBM will also join OpenAI’s elite partner tier to co-develop industry-specific offerings, lifting IBM shares in early trade.
4. Birkenstock lifted its full-year revenue growth forecast to 15% amid resilient demand for premium sandals. The footwear maker reported double-digit sales gains across all regions and a 14% jump in direct-to-consumer revenue, sending the stock up nearly 9% before the bell.
5. JD.com beat consensus revenue estimates for the June quarter on an extended 618 shopping festival. Government subsidies and longer promotional periods boosted sales, yet intensified price competition weighed on margins. Despite the beat, the ADR opened lower as investors focused on a year-over-year revenue decline.
6. Cerebras Systems posted stronger-than-expected core revenue but guided cautiously, prompting a double-digit share decline. Adjusted operating loss narrowed markedly, and full-year outlook was raised; however, complex accounting adjustments and lingering profitability questions spurred a sharp pre-market selloff.
7. Wendy’s shares jumped after reports that activist investor Trian Partners is exploring a go-private bid for the fast-food chain. The board stated it would review any formal proposal in line with fiduciary duties, while new CEO Bob Wright prioritizes turnaround initiatives following a recent dividend cut.
8. Alphabet faces competitive pressure as Nvidia’s $500 billion financing partnership with major asset managers challenges custom AI chips. Analysts warn that attractive funding for Nvidia hardware could reduce demand for Alphabet’s in-house silicon, adding to concerns already swirling around delays in its latest Gemini model.
9. CuriosityStream reported a 1 033% surge in quarterly net income, driving its shares up over 30% pre-market. Revenue climbed 22% to $23.2 million, while gross margin expanded sharply, reflecting successful licensing growth and disciplined cost control at the streaming platform.
10. SpaceX signaled plans to deploy 10 gigawatts of AI compute by 2027, boosting internal growth ambitions. In an employee town-hall, CEO Elon Musk highlighted rapid expansion of Starlink’s subscriber base and emphasized the strategic importance of AI and robotics, sparking renewed investor interest in SpaceX’s private shares.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
