Market Update: Futures and Key Data on the Horizon
A trader works at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., on August 24, 2026.
Stock futures remained relatively unchanged on Tuesday night, as the market prepared for significant U.S. inflation data and Nvidia’s upcoming quarterly results.
The S&P 500 futures didn’t show much movement, whereas Nasdaq-100 futures saw a slight rise of nearly 0.1%. The previous trading day, however, was encouraging. The major averages managed to finish in the green, thanks to a drop in yields and lower oil prices. The S&P 500 increased by 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite saw a rise of 0.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also bounced back, adding 160.24 points or 0.3%, marking its third consecutive day of gains.
On Wednesday, Asia-Pacific markets displayed a mixed picture. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dipped by 0.25%, and South Korea’s Kospi fell by 0.3%. Conversely, Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 showed a modest gain of 0.2%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 0.96%, and the CSI 300 rose by 0.37%.
A key report—the personal consumption expenditures price index for July—will be released on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET. This monthly report tracks the fluctuations in prices of goods and services, and it serves as a key gauge of inflation preferred by the Federal Reserve.
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones predict a month-over-month increase of 0.1% and a year-over-year rise of 3.6%. In June, the report indicated a monthly decline of 0.1% and an annual increase of 3.7%.
This comes amid significant attention on the bond market. Last week, U.S. Treasury yields reached multiyear highs, with the 30-year bond rate climbing to levels not observed in nearly two decades. Nevertheless, on Tuesday, yields generally decreased, with the 10-year yield dropping nearly 8 basis points.
Nvidia Earnings and Jackson Hole Expectations
Nvidia is set to announce its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday after the market closes. According to projections from FactSet, analysts expect earnings per share to be around $2.09, with total revenue estimated at $92.28 billion.
This report might be significant for the overall market, especially since Nvidia is the largest member of the S&P 500, boasting a market cap exceeding $5 trillion.
Investors are also looking forward to comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, who will be speaking on Friday at the Fed’s annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Some analysts suggest that Warsh might not reveal too much before the Fed’s monetary policy decision in September.
“Considering his past approach in the June and July press conferences, we believe it’s unlikely he will go into a detailed discussion about the current economic outlook and its implications for policy throughout the remainder of 2026. Instead, we anticipate that his remarks will focus largely on broad themes, particularly regarding the supply side and how these issues will be tackled by the Task Forces,” noted Kurt Lewis, Piper Sandler’s head of central bank policy, in a message to clients.
