U.S. stock futures and major indexes showed modest strength on Thursday, August 13th, 2026, as investors digested a series of economic data points suggesting a continued cooling of inflationary pressures. The market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic, supported by a retreat in Treasury yields and a robust start to the morning's earnings releases.
Current Market Performance and Index Trends
In premarket activity, the major indexes signaled a positive open for the New York session. According to real-time data, the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is up 0.19%, while the State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) leads the pack with a 0.26% gain. The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is seeing more muted growth, up 0.09%, as investors rotate slightly out of high-growth tech and into value-oriented sectors.
The small-cap segment is also participating in the rally, with the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) rising 0.18%. This broad-based participation suggests that the "soft landing" narrative remains the dominant theme on Wall Street. In the bond market, the iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) surged 0.36%, reflecting a drop in yields as traders bet on a more accommodative Federal Reserve policy in the coming months.
Upcoming Market Events and Economic Data
Today’s trading is heavily influenced by the morning's release of the Producer Price Index (PPI), which came in slightly below expectations, further confirming the disinflationary trend seen in yesterday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Investors are now looking ahead to tomorrow's retail sales data to gauge the health of the American consumer.
The earnings calendar is also in full swing. This morning, Brookfield Corporation (BN) reported Q2 results with an estimated EPS of $0.65, while JD.com, Inc. (JD) and NetEase, inc. (NTES) also crossed the wire before the bell. However, the most anticipated event of the day occurs after the market close, when semiconductor giant Applied Materials Inc (AMAT) is scheduled to report its Q3 2026 results. With an estimated EPS of $3.40 and revenue projections near $9 billion, AMAT's report will be a critical barometer for the broader AI and chip sector.
Major Stock News and Premarket Movers
In individual stock news, the AI sector continues to see high volatility. Gaxos.ai Inc. (GXAI) is the standout gainer this morning, skyrocketing 64.8% on massive volume following a corporate announcement. CuriosityStream Inc. (CURI) is also seeing significant interest, up 35.6%.
On the downside, Boxlight Corporation (BOXL) fell 20.5% in premarket trading, while Cerebras Systems Inc. (CBRS) dropped 18.0%. Among the mega-caps, Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) remained relatively flat in early trading, while Nvidia (NVDA) saw slight pressure as the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) hovered near a 0.03% gain.
Tesla (TSLA) and Google (GOOGL) are also under watch as the State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLC) outperformed other sectors with a 0.85% rise. In the crypto space, the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) rose 0.49%, tracking a recovery in digital asset prices. Conversely, the energy sector is facing headwinds, with the United States Oil Fund, LP (USO) falling 1.25% as global demand concerns weigh on crude prices.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.