Apple Inc.

What to Watch Today: Dow Futures Shoot Up, Turn Positive After Key Inflation Data

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

BY THE NUMBERS

U.S. stock futures shot higher and turned positive Tuesday after slightly lower than expected key inflation data. The government said before opening bell on Wall Street that August consumer prices rose 5.3% from a year ago. The Dow and S&P 500 on Monday broke five-session losing streaks. The Nasdaq fell slightly for its fourth down day in a row. (CNBC)

* Cramer says investors should be 'keeping some cash,' expects more market struggles in September (CNBC)

Tuesday's CPI, which follows hot wholesale prices last week, comes as the Federal Reserve grapples with whether higher inflation is temporary or here to stay. That determination is key to when central bankers might start tapering their Covid-era bond purchases. The Fed holds its two-day September meeting next week. (CNBC)

IN THE NEWS TODAY

Apple (AAPL) is holding its annual iPhone event Tuesday, the company's seventh straight virtual launch due to the pandemic. The tech giant is expected to introduce new iPhones and updates to its AirPods and Apple Watch, according to analysts. New iPads and MacBooks Pro laptops are due for an update, too, though it's unclear whether Apple will pack all of its fall launches into one or spread them out. (CNBC)

Apple has issued a patch to iOS, its mobile operating system, to fix a vulnerability related to the iPhone's iMessage function. An Israeli firm had been exploiting the weakness since February, according to research group Citizen Lab. The company, NSO Group, did not confirm or deny responsibility. The FBI and Israeli officials have been investigating NSO.

Ark Invest's Cathie Wood, the popular investor who focuses on disruptive innovation, made bullish calls Monday evening on Tesla (TSLA) and cryptocurrencies at the annual SALT conference. Asked about her recent trimming of her Tesla stake, Wood said it was a technical move and the electric vehicle maker still accounts for more than 10% of Ark's flagship fund. Wood has grown increasingly bullish on ether, saying her crypto portfolio now consists of 40% in the world's second largest digital coin and 60% bitcoin. (CNBC Pro)

SEC Chairman Gary Gensler wants private funds to disclose more information to investors about potential conflicts of interest and the fees they charge. That's according to testimony submitted to the Senate Banking Committee for Tuesday's hearing. During the Q&A, Gensler is expected to face questions about the agency's plan to regulate cryptocurrencies. (CNBC)

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed Monday, the top U.S. securities regulator urged Chinese companies to open up their books to Securities and Exchange Commission scrutiny or risk being kicked off U.S. stock exchanges.

House Democrats outlined tax increases they aim to use to offset up to $3.5 trillion in spending on the social safety net and climate policy. The proposal includes top corporate and individual tax rates of 26.5% and 39.6%, respectively. The tax plans could change as Democrats try to craft and pass a final bill in coming weeks. The proposal also includes a 3% surcharge on individual income above $5 million and a capital gains tax of 25%. (CNBC)

Despite the pandemic wiping out two years of growth for the commercial airplane market, Boeing (BA) expects demand for the industry to soar over the next 20 years. The company's annual market outlook predicts the global fleet of commercial airplanes will climb from 25,900 in 2019 to 49,405 planes by 2040, with almost 90% those planes being new models that will enter service over the period. (CNBC)

Amazon (AMZN) has increased its average starting wage in the U.S. to more than $18 an hour and plans to hire another 125,000 warehouse and transportation workers, an executive told Reuters. In some locations, the company is giving signing bonuses of $3,000. Amazon did not give exact figures, but a $1 raise on a $17-per-hour wage would amount to about a 6% hike. (Reuters)

* Kroger partners with Instacart, aiming for 30-Minute grocery delivery (WSJ)

Democrat Gavin Newsom is the second California governor to ever face a recall election, and he's likely to be the first to survive one. Tuesday is the deadline for registered voters in California to vote by mail or in person. Newsom campaigned with Biden in Long Beach late Monday.  (CNBC)

* Biden turns to Colorado to pitch investments in clean energy (AP)
* Nicholas, now tropical storm, dumps rain along Gulf Coast (AP)

A global study has found young people are suffering "profound psychological distress" due to climate change and government inaction on the crisis. Some 45% of the 10,000 young people surveyed across 10 countries for the study, published Tuesday, said anxiety and distress over the climate crisis was affecting their daily life and ability to function. (CNBC)

STOCKS TO WATCH

Oracle (ORCL) reported quarterly earnings of $1.03 per share, 6 cents a share above consensus estimates. The business software giant's revenue fell short of forecasts, however, amid increasing cloud computing competition. Oracle fell 2.5% in the premarket.

Angi (ANGI) rose 3.3% in premarket trading after the digital marketplace for home services reported its August metrics, which included a 21% jump in revenue from a year earlier.

Herbalife Nutrition (HLF) tumbled 9.7% in the premarket after the maker of nutrition products cut its outlook. Herbalife cited lower than expected levels of activity by its independent distributors, likely due to pandemic-related uncertainty.

Intuit (INTU) announced a deal to buy digital marketing firm Mailchimp for about $12 billion in cash and stock. That follows the TurboTax maker's acquisition of Credit Karma last year for more than $7 billion. It had been reported earlier this month that Intuit and Mailchimp were in acquisition talks.

Coinbase (COIN) – The cryptocurrency exchange operator's shares rose 1.2% in premarket trading after Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating on the stock.

Cameco (CCJ), the Canada-based uranium producer continued its recent rally, up 2.1% in Tuesday's premarket after rising in 10 of the past 11 sessions. It's among uranium-related stocks that have caught the attention of investors on social media.

Fox Corp. (FOXA) finalized a deal to buy celebrity news platform TMZ from AT&T's (T) WarnerMedia unit. Terms were not disclosed, but The Wall Street Journal reported that TMZ was valued at less than $50 million after earlier indications that the two sides were talking about a price between $100 million and $125 million. Fox rose 1% in premarket trading.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) President Tom Nealon is retiring from the carrier effective immediately. His departure comes three months after CEO Gary Kelly announced he would retire in January and named longtime Southwest executive Bob Jordan as his successor. Nealon had been seen as a possible candidate to succeed Kelly.

Copyright CNBC
Contact Us