Markets Eye Retail Sales After Record Highs; Reddit Surges

Today's AI insights from 7horns.ai: In our latest stock market analysis, Wall Street pauses ahead of critical retail sales data after the S&P 500 closed at a record 7,798.99 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.8% to 26,803.3. Major trading insights include Reddit surging 10.4% on index inclusion news, Workday rallying nearly 17% on buyout rumors, and Applied Materials sliding 5.2% in after-hours trading following its recent earnings report. This financial news delivers AI-powered analysis and AI market intelligence for data-driven investing, helping investors navigate volatile shifts and refine their market outlook. AI insights powered by 7horns.ai. Visit 7horns.ai for your free daily AI market analysis.

You are listening to Seven Horns A I, your A I powered market update. Good morning. Today is Friday, August fourteenth, twenty twenty-six, and we are coming to you live ahead of the opening bell in New York. Overnight in Asia, the picture was mixed but leaned positive for major benchmarks. While the China and Hong Kong exchange-traded fund proxy fell over one percent in the previous session and Hang Seng futures are trading down about zero point six percent after the close, cash-market reports show early gains for Tokyo and Seoul, driven by stronger global data. Japan's exchange-traded fund proxy rose zero point seven percent in yesterday's regular session, though it is down slightly by less than two-tenths of a percent in pre-market trading, setting up a cautious but generally stable handoff for Western markets. Moving to Europe, markets are currently open and showing positive momentum, with the developed international market proxy gaining one-quarter of a percent. This strength is keeping Wall Street steady, though major U S stock index futures are pointing to a quiet, essentially flat open ahead of a crucial economic release. The S and P five hundred exchange-traded fund is up just zero point zero eight percent in pre-market action, while the Nasdaq-focused equivalent is ticking higher by zero point one seven percent. The Dow proxy is down slightly, losing less than one-tenth of a percent. Traders are clearly holding their breath for the retail sales report due out at eight thirty A M Eastern Time. The quiet pre-market action follows a historic, record-setting session on Thursday. The S and P five hundred closed at an all-time high of seven thousand seven hundred ninety-eight point nine nine, while the Nasdaq Composite rose zero point eight percent to twenty-six thousand eight hundred three point three. The major catalyst was a cooler-than-expected July producer price index, which eased inflation worries. In corporate news, Reddit is surging ten point four percent in extended trading after news that it will be included in the S and P five hundred index next week. Meanwhile, Workday was a standout yesterday, rallying nearly seventeen percent on reports of buyout talks with Silver Lake. SanDisk also leaped nearly thirteen percent and is up another five point six percent in the pre-market on bullish long-term growth guidance. On the downside, Applied Materials fell two point five percent in the regular session and slid an additional five point two percent in after-hours trading yesterday following its earnings report, while JD dot com continues its slide, dropping another three point four percent this morning after a rare decline in quarterly revenue. As we approach the open, all eyes are on the upcoming July retail sales numbers at eight thirty A M. This data will be the primary driver of today's initial market direction. We will also get manufacturing and trade inventories later this morning. That is your pre-market briefing from Seven Horns A I. Good luck out there today. Visit seven horns dot a i for more.