GuruFocus·2026-08-20 22:02Market Trends & Macroeconomy - Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 600 points due to rising Treasury yields and Walmart share declines[1] - US national debt surpassed $40 trillion, raising fiscal sustainability alarms[3] - Bitcoin surged 12% over two days amid push for the Clarity Act[8] Corporate Performance & Earnings - Walmart stock tumbled 9% after reporting slowing sales growth and cautious consumer spending despite raising its full-year outlook and receiving a $2.9 billion tariff refund[2] - Charter Communications completed a $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox[5] - Anthropic reached a $65 billion revenue run rate and prepared for an IPO[5] Industry Investment & Strategic Updates - Biotechnology companies Madna and Merck reported positive late-stage trial results for their melanoma cancer vaccine[4] - Micron Technology announced a $50 billion investment to expand Idaho operations[9] - Starbucks filed a layoff notice affecting over 200 jobs at its Seattle headquarters[9]