Feng Huang Wang·2025-08-19 22:18Market Overview - US stock indices closed mixed as investors await Fed Chair Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole conference, looking for signals on interest rate direction [1] - Rate futures indicate the Fed is expected to cut rates twice this year, each by 25 basis points, with the first cut anticipated in September [1] - Concerns arise as some investors rotate out of tech stocks into high-growth sectors, influenced by the significant weight of tech giants in major indices [1][2] Consumer Behavior - Consumers are currently cautious in their spending, observing the impact of tariffs on holiday consumption [2] - Major retailers like Lowe's, Walmart, and Target are set to release earnings reports, which will provide insights into the health of American consumers [1][2] Sector Performance - The S&P 500's sectors showed declines in technology (-1.88%), telecommunications (-1.16%), and consumer discretionary, while real estate gained 1.80% [3] - Semiconductor ETFs fell by 2.02%, and various tech sector ETFs declined between 1.34% and 1.89% [2] Notable Stock Movements - Major tech stocks experienced declines, with Nvidia down 3.50% and Meta down 2.07%, while Intel surged approximately 7% after SoftBank announced a $2 billion investment [4][5] - Home Depot's stock rose 3.2% despite second-quarter earnings missing market expectations, as the company maintained its full-year guidance [5] Company News - The US government is negotiating with Intel to acquire equity in exchange for subsidies under the CHIPS Act, emphasizing a non-voting stake [7] - Meta is restructuring its AI team into four independent groups to enhance its focus on achieving "superintelligence" [7] - Ford is seeking external customers for its joint battery plant with SK On due to a slowdown in electric vehicle demand [8] AI Developments - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman announced that GPT-6 is in development, promising more personalized interactions through memory capabilities [9]