NextFin News - Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Pre-Market Performance
U.S. index futures point to a modestly firmer open, led by technology. Nasdaq 100 futures are up 92.8 points, or 0.31%, at 29,829.8. S&P 500 futures are higher by 12.5 points, or 0.16%, at 7,789.3, while Dow futures add 56 points, or 0.10%, to 54,119.
European equities are narrowly positive. Germany's DAX rises 48.96 points, or 0.19%, to 26,372.84. France's CAC 40 gains 6.14 points, or 0.07%, to 8,732.17, and the UK's FTSE 100 advances 6.84 points, or 0.06%, to 10,869.34.
Energy remains the principal cross-asset move. Brent crude climbs 2.4% to $89.80 per barrel and WTI gains 2.6% to $84.28. Gold rises 0.3% to $4,434.20 per ounce. The dollar is firmer, with USD/JPY at 159.35 and EUR/USD at 1.1539.
Hot News
- Hormuz risk keeps oil elevated: Crude prices are extending Monday's surge as uncertainty around tanker access and energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz continues to raise supply-risk premiums. The move supports energy producers but adds cost pressure for airlines, transport companies, and other fuel-intensive industries. Read more
- Global equities consolidate after record highs: Asian trading was mixed and European markets posted limited gains, reflecting a more cautious risk tone after U.S. benchmarks eased from recent records. Investors are balancing resilient corporate profit expectations against higher oil prices and renewed geopolitical uncertainty. Read more
- AI investment remains a market-wide driver: Announced spending on computing capacity, cloud infrastructure, and power supply continues to support themes across semiconductors, data centers, power equipment, and infrastructure providers. At the same time, the sharp divergence in individual share reactions signals greater scrutiny of financing needs and execution risk. Read more
- Dollar strength accompanies the rise in energy prices: The greenback edged higher against the yen and euro in early trading, while gold also moved higher as investors retained demand for hedges against geopolitical uncertainty. The combination points to a more defensive cross-asset backdrop despite positive U.S. futures. Read more
U.S. Stock Focus
- Intel: $15 billion equity offering pressures shares. Intel announced a proposed $15 billion underwritten common-stock offering, with an additional underwriter option of up to $2.25 billion. The company said proceeds may fund capital expenditures and working capital as it pursues AI-related growth opportunities, but the proposed issuance raises dilution concerns for existing shareholders. Read more
- Riot Platforms: Anthropic cloud agreement drives a sharp after-hours rally. Riot Platforms reportedly surged 24.3% after hours to $24.12 following a reported $9.1 billion cloud-computing agreement with Anthropic. The contract places Riot at the center of investor demand for AI compute capacity and data-center infrastructure. Read more
- Rocket Lab: Revenue beat is overshadowed by Neutron timing. Rocket Lab reported quarterly revenue of $234.07 million, about $3.00 million above estimates and up nearly 62% year over year. Its loss of $0.08 per share was roughly in line with expectations, but shares fell about 7.7% after hours as investors focused on a delay to the planned Neutron rocket debut. Read more
- AST SpaceMobile: Quarterly miss follows operational progress. AST SpaceMobile posted revenue of $31.52 million, missing estimates by $2.82 million, while its loss of $0.35 per share was $0.06 wider than expected. The company highlighted the expansion of its BlueBird satellite constellation and preparations for beta services with strategic partners. Read more
- Simon Property Group: Revenue outperforms, earnings per share miss narrowly. Simon Property Group reported quarterly revenue of $1.79 billion, exceeding estimates by $158.43 million and rising 19.5% from a year earlier. Earnings of $3.12 per share missed consensus by $0.06, leaving investors to weigh strong top-line growth against the small profit shortfall. Read more
- Alcon: Quarterly earnings and sales beat expectations. Alcon delivered revenue of $2.78 billion, exceeding estimates by $13.26 million, while earnings of $0.84 per share topped consensus by $0.08. The result represents year-over-year revenue growth of nearly 8% and keeps attention on demand across its eye-care portfolio. Read more
- Babcock & Wilcox: Strong quarterly results lift energy-services shares. Babcock & Wilcox shares jumped about 37.2% after hours after the company reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results. Investors are focusing on the company's exposure to nuclear, power-generation, and energy-services demand as AI data centers increase electricity requirements. Read more
- Fermi America: TensorWave lease agreement boosts AI-infrastructure outlook. Fermi America shares rose roughly 30% to 35% after hours following a reported $6.5 billion binding lease agreement with TensorWave. The transaction strengthens the market's focus on companies providing the real estate, power, and capacity required for large-scale AI computing. Read more
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