Good morning.
The Fast Five → US national debt surpasses $40 trillion, Treasury doubles down, Bessent most interventionist Treasury Chief in decades, Moderna skyrockets, and Trump says US starting 'economic warfare' operation against Iran…
📌 Our #1 AI Stock of 2026 (not AI) →
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Calendar: Full Calendar »
Today:
Unemployment Claims, 8:30A
Tomorrow:
None watched
Your 5-minute briefing for Thursday, August 20:
BEFORE THE OPEN
As of market close 8/19/2026.
Pre-Market:
Market Wrap:
Futures: Dow +46 (+0.09%), S&P +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.4%
Wed: Stocks rebounded as Treasury yields fell
S&P snapped a three-session losing streak
Treasury plans to boost long-term debt repurchases
Longer-term rate pressures remain a concern
Strong earnings are helping cushion higher yields
Focus shifts to jobless claims and Walmart earnings
EARNINGS
Here’s what we’re watching this week:
Today: *Alibaba $BABA ( ▲ 0.59% ), Ross Stores $ROST ( ▼ 0.72% )
*Walmart $WMT ( ▼ 0.78% ) - $.74 EPS (+8.8% YoY) on $186.9B revenue (+6.3% YoY)
He Recommended NVDA in 2005.
He Says This Stock Is Better...
It's an incredible story that could only happen in America.
A $51 billion backlog. A partnership with Elon Musk. And a ringing endorsement by President Trump.
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HEADLINES
“He’s activist, absolutely,” said Mark Sobel, a former US Treasury official. “It harkens back to his hedge-fund background.”
The national debt has surpassed a record $40 trillion, highlighting the impact of defense costs, social programs, and interest on the deficit.
Dow, S&P, Nasdaq snap 3-day losing streak, bonds rally, Moderna skyrockets (more)
Trump: US starting 'economic warfare' operation against Iran (more)
US retreat from global order 'eroding' European competitiveness (more)
Treasury doubles down on buybacks to steady bond market (more)
Trump calls for Congress to pass crypto bill at White House event (more)
FOMC Minutes: Officials saw need for rate hike if inflation doesn't cool (more)
Oil prices steady as investors assess US-Iran war outlook (more)
Gold hits 2-mo high after mostly stagnant summer (more)
Dollar at 3-mo lows as Treasury seeks to rein in surging bond yields (more)
Moderna skyrockets as melanoma vaccine trial shows "landmark moment" (more)
SpaceX attempted to acquire AI coding startup Cognition (more)
Target receives $1bn boost from tariff refunds (more)
Amazon plans drone delivery expansion to about 500 US locales (more)
Chip firm Fractile seeks $6.5B value after Anthropic deal (more)
Estee Lauder bets on fragrances, skincare to deliver strong annual profit (more)
Largest olive oil company surges 20% as rivals circle in takeover battle (more)
The unexpected winners of America's data-center boom (more)
Bitcoin short squeeze ripples across a battered crypto complex (more)
- We’re on a Short Break -
Dealflow, Crypto, and Bullish sections
will resume on Monday, August 24, 2026.
DAILY SHARES
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