5 Crucial Market Movers You Can’t Afford to Miss Today - August 15, 2025

Wall Street's morning caffeine hit: these are the only numbers that matter today.

1. Futures Flash Red (Or Green?)

Pre-market gyrations suggest traders either had brilliant epiphanies overnight or are still drunk on yesterday's volatility.

2. The Fed Whisperers' Latest Fixation

Every analyst suddenly becomes a monetary policy clairvoyant when Powell's shadow looms. Spoiler: nobody actually knows.

3. Earnings Season's Surprise Villain

Some blue-chip darling is about to disappoint shareholders while quietly funneling bonuses to execs. Classic.

4. The Crypto Contagion Effect

Bitcoin's morning sneeze sends altcoins into sepsis - because decentralized finance still dances to BTC's tune.

5. That One Random Stock Soaring 300%

Probably some biotech firm you've never heard of, suddenly 'curing' a disease that may or may not exist.

Remember: the market's a casino where the house wears suits and calls it 'wealth management.' Now go make (or lose) money.

1. US Stock Futures Mixed as Investors Watch Trump-Putin Talks, Retail Sales Data

U.S. stock futures are mixed as investors monitor talks President Donald TRUMP and Russian leader Vladimir Putin and watch for fresh retail sales data this morning. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are up 0.6% as UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares surge, after the blue-chip index dipped Thursday. S&P 500 futures are up 0.2% and Nasdaq futures are ticking lower. Bitcoin (BTCUSD) is trading slightly higher at more than $119,000. The 10-year Treasury note yield and gold futures are little changed. WTI oil futures are moving higher, although Brent crude futures are lower.

2. UnitedHealth Stock Jumps as Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Builds Stake

Shares of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) are surging 11% in premarket trading after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) revealed in a regulatory filing that it has built a $1.6 billion stake in the health insurance giant. The conglomerate also reported opening positions in security products provider Allegion (ALLE), homebuilder D.R. Horton (DHI), Lamar Advertising (LAMR), and steelmaker Nucor (NUE), all of whose shares are also moving higher. Berkshire sold its remaining stake in T-Mobile US (TMUS) and offloaded nearly half of its Charter Communications (CHTR) shares.

3. Applied Materials Stock Plunges on Weak Outlook Amid China Struggle

Applied Materials (AMAT) shares are plunging 14% in premarket trading after the semiconductor equipment manufacturer's current-quarter projections fell short of analysts' expectations. The company expects fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.11 and revenue of $6.7 billion, plus or minus $500 million, while Visible Alpha estimates call for $2.37 and $7.30 billion, respectively. "We are currently operating in a dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the NEAR term, including for our China business," CEO Gary Dickerson said. The firm's third-quarter results topped expectations.

4. Retail Sales Growth Expected to Have Slowed in July

Retail sales growth in July is expected to have slowed slightly when that data is released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal expect sales to have increased by 0.5% in July, slower than the 0.6% sales growth reported in the prior month. On Monday, the National Retail Federation reported sales growth of 1.5% in July. Investors will also be watching the 10 a.m. ET release of the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, which is also expected to have improved slightly from the prior month. Consumer surveys have been trending higher after sentiment declined earlier as tariff announcements drove inflation fears.

5. Intel Stock Gains After Report US Might Take Stake in Chipmaker

Intel (INTC) shares are up less than 2% in premarket trading following a report that the U.S. government is considering taking a stake in the struggling chipmaker. Bloomberg reported Thursday that members of Trump's team had discussed plans that could see the administration throwing its support behind an expansion of Intel's domestic manufacturing capabilities. Earlier this week, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan met with Trump, who previously had called for the executive's resignation over concerns about his ties to China.