US stock futures showed mixed results as investors awaited crucial producer-price data, with lower Treasury yields supporting stocks. AI investments fueled Asian market gains, while oil prices declined amid geopolitical uncertainties.
By William Collins, consultant in stock markets – Eurasia Business News, August 13, 2026. Article no 3083
US stock futures traded mixed on Thursday as investors awaited July producer-price data and reassessed the likelihood of another Federal Reserve interest-rate increase. Treasury yields edged lower, oil prices softened and the artificial-intelligence investment theme continued to drive gains across Asian technology markets.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.13%, while S&P 500 futures added 0.11%. Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.11%, signalling more caution toward technology shares after their recent gains. The divergence suggested that investors welcomed a less restrictive interest-rate outlook but remained selective about highly valued growth stocks.
Federal Reserve Expectations Shift
Markets have moved decisively toward the view that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged at its next meeting. CME Group data showed investors assigned a 66% probability to a rate hold next month, compared with 45% one week earlier.
The change followed Wednesday’s Consumer Price Index report, which showed that US consumer prices increased 3.4% year on year in July. That was down from 3.5% in June and matched economists’ forecasts. On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 0.1%, also in line with expectations.
The report provided evidence that inflation is cooling, though it remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. As a result, markets are not yet pricing in a rapid shift to interest-rate cuts. Instead, traders increasingly expect the Fed to maintain a patient stance while it evaluates whether lower inflation can be sustained.
The next major test comes with the July Producer Price Index, scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The PPI measures changes in prices received by domestic producers and can indicate whether inflation pressures are building or fading further up the supply chain.
Treasury Yields Retreat Slightly
Government bond yields declined modestly as investors reduced expectations for an imminent rate increase. Lower Treasury yields can support stock valuations because they reduce borrowing costs and increase the present value of future corporate earnings.
The retreat in yields may particularly benefit rate-sensitive areas such as real estate, utilities, small-capitalisation companies and growth stocks. However, the slight decline in Nasdaq futures indicates that investors remain cautious about technology-sector valuations.
The 10-year US Treasury yield had eased to around 4.67% by August 12. While down from recent highs, it remains elevated relative to recent years and continues to influence mortgage rates, corporate funding costs and equity valuations.
AI Trade Drives Asian Equity Gains
AI-related optimism remained a key driver of international markets. South Korea’s Kospi index gained more than 3% for a second consecutive day, supported by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
The companies are among the world’s most important suppliers of semiconductors and memory products used in AI servers, cloud computing and data centres. Demand for high-bandwidth memory, advanced chips and computing infrastructure has positioned both businesses as major beneficiaries of global AI investment.
In Hong Kong, Lenovo shares surged 19% after the company reported record revenue. The result was supported partly by strong demand for AI infrastructure, highlighting how the AI cycle is expanding beyond chip designers and manufacturers into servers, storage, enterprise hardware and data-centre equipment.
The rally reflects investors’ growing conviction that artificial intelligence will require extensive capital expenditure across global computing infrastructure. Yet it also raises questions about valuations, the sustainability of spending and whether companies can convert AI investment into durable earnings growth.
Oil Price on August 13
Brent crude futures slipped below $88 per barrel as the market saw few fresh developments in the Iran war likely to alter the near-term supply outlook. The modest decline reduced immediate energy-inflation pressure, although Brent remained above the US Energy Information Administration’s forecast average of about $85 per barrel for the third quarter of 2026.
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Oil prices remain vulnerable to geopolitical developments, shipping disruptions and changes in production policy. Any escalation affecting supply routes could quickly reverse the decline and renew pressure on inflation expectations.
Gold Price on August 13
Gold traded near $4,384 per ounce in early New York dealings on August 13, down about $24, or 0.55%, on the day. Intraday pricing showed a bid of $4,384.30 and an ask of $4,386.30, after the metal moved within a $4,363.30 to $4,449.90 range. Despite the pullback, gold remained higher by 3.24% over seven days and 30.96% over one year, though it was down 13.04% across six months overall, however.
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The metal’s resilience reflects demand for protection against geopolitical risk, high public debt, currency volatility and potential inflation surprises. A less aggressive Federal Reserve outlook also supports gold by lowering the opportunity cost of holding a non-yielding asset.
With summer trading volumes subdued, Thursday’s PPI release could set the next direction for equities, Treasury yields, the US dollar and precious metals. A softer producer-price report would reinforce the case for a Fed pause; an unexpectedly strong result could revive concerns that inflation remains too persistent.
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© Copyright 2026 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 3083
