U.S. stock markets concluded Monday, August 11, 2025, with a mixed performance, as investors navigated a cautious session ahead of critical inflation data later in the week. While the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) showed resilience, maintaining its position near record highs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) slipped, and the S&P 500 (SPX) hovered close to its all-time peak. The day's trading reflected a broader sentiment of anticipation, with market participants closely watching for economic indicators that could influence the Federal Reserve's next moves on interest rates.
Current Market Performance
The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) demonstrated continued strength, trading higher throughout the day and reaching a fresh 52-week high. This follows a robust performance last week, where the Nasdaq surged an impressive 3.9%, marking its best weekly gain since late June and achieving consecutive record closing highs. The S&P 500 (SPX), after gaining 0.7% to finish at 6,389.45 on Friday, August 8th, remained near record levels on Monday, though it saw slight declines during afternoon trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), which rose 0.5% to close at 44,175.61 on Friday, experienced a modest slip on Monday, with a majority of its components ending in positive territory. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), often referred to as the market's "fear gauge," remained relatively low, closing at 15.15 on Friday, suggesting a calm market environment despite the upcoming data. Trading volume on Friday was 16.2 billion shares, lower than the 20-session average, with advancers outnumbering decliners on both the NYSE and Nasdaq.
Upcoming Market Events
The financial calendar for the week is heavily weighted with crucial economic data, with inflation reports taking center stage. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July is scheduled for release on Tuesday, August 12th, followed by the Producer Price Index (PPI) on Thursday, August 14th. These reports are highly anticipated as investors seek clearer signs of how recent tariff policies are impacting prices across the economy. Strategists are warning that elevated inflation could lead to stagflation, potentially causing the U.S. economy to slow significantly in the latter half of 2025.
Market participants are also closely scrutinizing these inflation figures for their implications on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. Expectations for a September interest rate cut have increased, particularly after a weaker July jobs report. The Fed has indicated a "wait-and-see" approach, making this week's data pivotal for their next decision.
Beyond inflation, other significant economic data releases this week include retail sales and industrial production figures. On the geopolitical front, a meeting between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin in Alaska on August 15th to discuss the Ukraine conflict is also on the radar, with potential market implications.
The corporate earnings season is winding down, with only a handful of S&P 500 companies scheduled to report this week. Key earnings announcements to watch in the coming days include Cisco Systems (CSCO), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Deere & Company (DE).
Major Stock News and Developments
Several individual stocks made headlines on Monday:
- Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were in focus after reports confirmed their agreement to share 15% of revenues from specific chip sales in China with the U.S. government in exchange for export licenses for their advanced H20 and MI308 chips. Nvidia's stock ticked higher, while AMD's shares were also up.
- Intel (INTC) shares surged following reports that CEO Lip-Bu Tan was set to visit the White House after President Trump had called for his resignation last week. The stock was back in positive territory for the year with Monday's jump.
- Micron Technology (MU) climbed 3.1% after raising its forecasts for profit and revenue in the current quarter, benefiting from higher memory chip prices.
- Apple (AAPL) shares were slightly down after three straight days of significant gains, which contributed to its best weekly performance since 2020.
- Other mega-cap technology stocks such as Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), and Meta Platforms (META) showed mixed movements. Tesla (TSLA) climbed 4% during Monday's trading.
- Lithium producers like Albemarle (ALB) and Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) saw their shares jump over 7% after reports of production delays at a major Chinese lithium mine, sending lithium futures soaring.
- Cryptocurrency-related stocks, including Coinbase Global (COIN), MicroStrategy (MSTR), and MARA Holdings (MARA), advanced as Bitcoin surged, nearing its mid-July record high.
- On the downside, C3.ai (AI) tumbled 23.5% after the AI application software company warned it might report a significant operating loss for its first quarter, with its CEO calling sales results "completely unacceptable."
Regarding earnings announcements after Monday's close, AMC Entertainment (AMC) was expected to report its second-quarter earnings, with Wall Street anticipating a reduced loss compared to the previous year. Looking ahead, Investcorp Credit Management BDC, Inc. (ICMB) is scheduled to release its second-quarter financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, August 12th. PVH Corp. (PVH) announced it would release its second-quarter 2025 earnings results after the market closes on Tuesday, August 26th.
In broader corporate news, U.S. companies announced a record $166 billion worth of public stock repurchases in July, tripling the average over the last five years, indicating strong corporate confidence. Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity also rebounded, reaching $2.6 trillion through the end of July, the highest level for the first seven months of the year since 2021, despite a lower number of deals.
As the week progresses, all eyes will remain on the upcoming inflation data and any further commentary from the Federal Reserve, which will undoubtedly shape market sentiment and trading activity.
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.