Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 futures rise as retail sales climb after rate-cut bets cool

US stock futures were mixed on Friday as Wall Street tempered its rate-cut hopes while July's retail sales advanced. Traders were also awaiting Friday's meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin, looking for clues on how the outcome could steer markets.

Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) rose around 0.6%, with the index's first record since December in sight again. Futures attached to the benchmark S&P 500 (ES=F) rose 0.1%, and futures attached to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) fell below the flatline.

CBOT - Delayed Quote•USD

(YM=F)

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45,248.00

+251.00

+(0.56%)

As of 8:34:01 AM EDT. Market Open. YM=FES=F NQ=F

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Major Dow component UnitedHealth (UNH) stock soared on Friday before the bell after a regulatory filing showed Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B, BRK-A) bought 5 million shares in the company.

Intel (INTC) shares also jumped premarket Friday on news that the US government is considering taking a stake in the company. President Trump met with Intel's CEO on Monday after calling on him to resign the previous week.

And Applied Materials (AMAT) stock sank 14% before the bell on Friday after the chip equipment maker issued weak fourth-quarter forecasts on sluggish China demand, fueling concerns over tariff-related risks.

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(UNH)

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271.49

-0.32

(-0.12%)

At close: August 14 at 4:00:02 PM EDT Advanced Chart

Stocks wobbled on Thursday, ending a two-day rally sparked by investor confidence that an interest rate cut in September was nearly certain. Doubts about a significant cut at the Fed's next policy meeting crept in after July's Producer Price Index (PPI) came in hotter than expected.

Meanwhile US Census Bureau data released Friday morning showed retail sales data rose 0.5% in July from the prior month, less than the 0.6% gain expected by economists.LIVE5 updates

9 mins ago

Laura Bratton

Retail sales climb less than expected in July

Retail sales rose 0.5% in July from the prior month, according to data from the US Census Bureau released Friday. That was less than the 0.6% gain expected by economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

Excluding auto and gas sales, retail sales were up 0.2%, also less than the 0.3% projected. An even narrower slice of retail sales called the “control group” — a more precise measure of consumer spending that excludes certain sales such as those from office supply and tobacco stores — climbed 0.5%, ahead of the 0.4% expected.

Retail sales rebounded in June, a sign that consumer spending habits were remaining resilient despite President Trump's tariffs. 43 mins ago

Grace O'Donnell

Investors want rate cut 'validation,' but the Fed's dilemma won't go away

Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban writes in today's Morning Brief:

Read more here. 55 mins ago

Jenny McCall

Good morning. Here's what's happening today.

Economic data: Retail sales (July); Export prices (July); Industrial production (July); University of Michigan consumer sentiment (August preliminary)

Earnings: No notable earnings.

Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning:

'Striking while the iron is hot'

Investors want rate cut 'validation,' but the Fed's dilemma remains

Applied Materials' shares sink on weak China demand, tariff risks

UnitedHealth jumps as Buffett's Berkshire buys 5M shares

BofA's Hartnett sees profit-taking in stocks after Jackson Hole

AI exacerbates tech divide with smaller stocks languishing

A trader's guide to the Alaska talks between Trump and Putin

China's economy slows in July on tariffs, weak property market Today at 9:54 AM UTC

Jenny McCall

Applied Materials' shares sink on weak China demand, tariff risks

Shares in Applied Materials (AMAT) sank 14% before the bell on Friday after the chip equipment maker issued weak fourth-quarter forecasts on sluggish China demand, fueling concerns over tariff-related risks.

NasdaqGS - Delayed Quote•USD

(AMAT)

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188.24

-1.76

(-0.93%)

At close: August 14 at 4:00:01 PM EDT Advanced Chart

Reuters reports:

Read more here. Today at 9:24 AM UTC

Jenny McCall

UnitedHealth stock soars as Buffett's Berkshire buys 5M shares

UnitedHealth Group stock rose 12% before the bell on Friday after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B, BRK-A) acquired 5 million shares in the company.

A regulatory filing showed the purchase on Thursday.

NYSE - Delayed Quote•USD

(UNH)

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271.49

-0.32

(-0.12%)

At close: August 14 at 4:00:02 PM EDT Advanced Chart

Reuters reports:

Read more here.

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