Thursday, August 13, 2026

U.S. equities advanced on Thursday, August 13, driven by a cooler-than-expected inflation print that relieved pressure on interest rates. The Nasdaq led the major averages with a 0.81% gain to 26,803.025, while the S&P 500 rose 0.65% to hit a record 7,798.99, and the Dow Jones added 0.13% to 53,839.99. The small-cap Russell 2000 edged up 0.24% to 3,052.847, and the VIX ticked slightly higher by 0.55% to 14.63, as market odds for a September Fed rate hike fell to roughly 32% following a flat (0.0% MoM) July Producer Price Index.

Sectors in focus:

• Technology and Software: Computer Storage Devices (+6.54%) and Services-Prepackaged Software (+4.65%) paced the broader market rally as annual wholesale inflation cooled to 4.7% from 5.5%, fueling risk-on sentiment for growth equities.
• Commodity Weakness: WTI Crude slid 2.49% to 81.2 after OPEC and the IEA lowered their 2026 demand forecasts, weighing on energy-adjacent sectors like Pipe Lines (No Natural Gas), which fell 1.32%.
• Precious Metals Pullback: Gold retreated 1.37% to 4,406.3, pulling Gold and Silver Ores down 2.90% as easing inflation dented the immediate appeal of non-yielding assets.
• Communications Drag: Computer Communications Equipment sank 2.79%, ranking as one of the day's worst performers largely due to a 7% drop in Cisco following revenue deceleration guidance.

On the radar:

• Aug 14: July Retail Sales and Michigan Consumer Sentiment
• Aug 17: China Industrial Production and Retail Sales data
• Aug 18: US Housing Starts and Industrial Production (July)
• Aug 19: Release of the July FOMC Meeting Minutes
• Aug 21: Preliminary S&P Global Manufacturing & Services PMI