Alcoa Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products in the United States, Spain, Australia, Iceland, Norway, Brazil, Canada, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Alumina and Aluminum. It engages in bauxite mining operations; and processes bauxite into alumina and sells it to customers who process it into industrial chemical products, as well as aluminum smelting and casting businesses. The company offers primary aluminum in the form of alloy ingot or value-add ingot to customers that produce products for the transportation, building and construction, packaging, wire, and other industrial markets; and flat-rolled aluminum in the form of sheet, which is sold primarily to customers that produce beverage and food cans. In addition, it owns hydro power plants that generates and sells electricity in the wholesale market to traders, large industrial consumers, distribution companies, and other generation companies. The company was formerly known as Alcoa Upstream Corporation and changed its name to Alcoa Corporation in October 2016. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Alcoa’s profitability looks noticeably stronger than the quality of its valuation multiples, and that is precisely what sets a cautious tone for the assessment. P/E of 10.58, P/S of 0.99, and P/B of 1.62 are below the industry median, which usually supports the case for undervaluation, but P/FCF of 32.97, on the other hand, is 59.7% above the median and tempers optimism. The trend in P/E and P/S has generally improved compared with the peaks at the beginning of the period, however P/B and especially P/FCF remain less than ideal for a cyclical metals business. Return on capital looks strong: ROE of 19.1%, ROA of 7.79%, and ROI of 14.02% are above industry benchmarks, indicating good earnings quality on invested capital. At the same time, operating margin of 3.61% and gross margin of 18.79% are noticeably weaker than the industry, pointing to cost pressure and limited pricing power. Net margin of 9.39% is around the median, so overall profitability currently looks acceptable, but not outstanding. The trend shows an improvement in operating performance: revenue, gross profit, EBITDA, and net income are all at elevated levels, while net income of $407 million and operating income of $718 million confirm a recovery in the business. The balance sheet is moderately stable: debt/equity of 0.30 is below the industry level, debt does not appear excessive, and equity and assets are growing, which supports financial flexibility. However, liquidity is not ideal, since quick ratio of 0.93 and current ratio of 1.53 are below the median, meaning the working capital cushion is limited. Dividend yield of 0.18% has declined compared with previous periods, so the dividend factor currently adds little to the investment case. Overall, the picture is mixed: the valuation on classic multiples looks inexpensive, but weak margins and expensive free cash flow do not allow for an aggressive increase in the target price. For an investor, this is more a story of a quality but cyclical producer with improving earnings and limited re-rating potential than a clear candidate for strong upside.

Alcoa Corporation

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, незначительно упал. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Strong index, slightly down. The market does not support the bulls.

Средний индекс, незначительно вырос. Отток средств из лонгов снизился, но остается значительным.

Medium index, slightly up. The outflow of funds from longs has decreased, but remains significant.

AA looks inexpensive on P/E, P/S, and P/B, but weak margins and expensive FCF limit the upside; profitability and the balance sheet remain strong.

Apple's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.27 per share of the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable on August 13, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 10, 2026.
Amgen today announced that its Board of Directors declared a $2.52 per share dividend for the third quarter of 2026. The dividend will be paid on September 11, 2026, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 21, 2026.
Huntsman announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a $0.0875 per share cash dividend on its common stock. The dividend is payable on September 30, 2026, to stockholders of record as of September 15, 2026.
Boise Cascade's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per share, an increase of $0.01 per share or 5%, to holders of its common stock. The dividend will be paid on September 16, 2026 to stockholders of record on September 1, 2026.
Alcoa announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share of the Company's common stock, to be paid on August 27, 2026 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2026.
On July 30, 2026, the Board of Directors of BorgWarner declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.17 per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on September 15, 2026, to stockholders of record on September 1, 2026.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Daily Dividend Report: AAPL,AMGN,HUN,BCC,AA,BWA

Shares of Vista Energy VIST rose 2.6% after reporting second-quarter 2026 revenues of $1.23 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.08 billion.
Shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. TRV jumped 9.2% after reporting second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $10.04 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.31.
Chevron Corporation’s CVX shares rose 1.9% on energy emerging as the biggest gaining sector of the day.
Shares of Alcoa Corporation AA Inc. slid 6.1% after reporting second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.12 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.33.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Alcoa (AA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Company News for July 20, 2026

Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Block Inc (Symbol: XYZ), where a total of 37,148 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 3.7 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 63.3% of XYZ's average daily trading volume over the past month of 5.9 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $82 strike call option expiring July 17, 2026, with 4,067 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 406,700 underlying shares of XYZ. Below is a chart showing XYZ's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $82 strike highlighted in orange:
Alcoa Corporation (Symbol: AA) options are showing a volume of 42,156 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 4.2 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 63.3% of AA's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 6.7 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $50 strike call option expiring August 21, 2026, with 12,434 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.2 million underlying shares of AA. Below is a chart showing AA's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $50 strike highlighted in orange:
And Howard Hughes Holdings Inc (Symbol: HHH) options are showing a volume of 2,467 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 246,700 underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 61% of HHH's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 404,380 shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $70 strike call option expiring July 17, 2026, with 610 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 61,000 underlying shares of HHH. Below is a chart showing HHH's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $70 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for XYZ options, AA options, or HHH options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further XYZ Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Friday Option Activity: XYZ, AA, HHH

For the quarter ended June 2024, Alcoa (AA) reported revenue of $2.91 billion, up 8.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.16, compared to -$0.35 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.96 billion, representing a surprise of -1.92%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +45.45%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.11.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Alcoa performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Average realized third-party price per metric ton of alumina: $399 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $383.76.
Average realized third-party price per metric ton of aluminum: $2,858 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2,999.99.
Third-party alumina shipments in Tons: 2,267 Kmt versus 2,245.65 Kmt estimated by two analysts on average.
Third-party aluminum shipments in Tons: 677 Kmt versus 653.99 Kmt estimated by two analysts on average.
Total sales- Alumina: $1.47 billion versus $1.39 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.6% change.
Total sales- Aluminum: $1.90 billion versus $1.98 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.9% change.
Third-party sales- Bauxite: $96 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $110.07 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -15%.
Third-party sales- Alumina: $914 million versus $875.72 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2.2% change.
Intersegment sales- Aluminum: $3 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $4.50 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -25%.
Total Third-party sales: $2.91 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.96 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.3%.
Intersegment sales- Alumina: $457 million versus $400.09 million estimated by two analysts on average.
Third-party sales- Aluminum: $1.90 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.97 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +6%.
View all Key Company Metrics for Alcoa here>>>
Shares of Alcoa have returned +3.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and Sells
We're not kidding.
Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent.
Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators,and more, that closed 228 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2023 alone.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Alcoa (AA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alcoa (AA) Q2 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

(RTTNews) - Alcoa Corp. (AA) released earnings for its second quarter that Increases, from last year
The company's earnings came in at $407 million, or $1.53 per share. This compares with $164 million, or $0.62 per share, last year.
Excluding items, Alcoa Corp. reported adjusted earnings of $562 million or $2.12 per share for the period.
The company's revenue for the period rose 31.4% to $3.966 billion from $3.018 billion last year.
Alcoa Corp. earnings at a glance (GAAP) :
-Earnings: $407 Mln. vs. $164 Mln. last year. -EPS: $1.53 vs. $0.62 last year. -Revenue: $3.966 Bln vs. $3.018 Bln last year.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alcoa Corp. Q2 Profit Rises

(RTTNews) - Alcoa Corp. (AA) will host a conference call at 5:00 PM ET on July 16, 2026, to discuss Q2 26 earnings results.
To access the live webcast, log on to https://investors.alcoa.com/home/default.aspx
To listen to the call, dial +1 (877) 883-0383 (US) or +1 (412) 902-6506 (International), Conference ID:8590507.
For a replay call, dial +1 (855) 669-9658 (US) or +1 (412) 317-0088 (International), Replay Access Code: 9420957.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alcoa Q2 26 Earnings Conference Call At 5:00 PM ET

The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 07/16/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The broadcast (radio/tv) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 12 analysts that follow the stock is $0.79. This value represents a 9.72% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for NFLX is 20.47 vs. an industry ratio of -5.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Alcoa Corporation (AA)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The metal production company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 3 analysts that follow the stock is $2.33. This value represents a 497.44% increase compared to the same quarter last year. AA missed the consensus earnings per share in the 1st calendar quarter of 2026 by -12.5%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for AA is 7.01 vs. an industry ratio of 1.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
F.N.B. Corporation (FNB)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The banks (southeast) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $0.42. This value represents a 16.67% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year FNB has met analyst expectations once and beat the expectations the other three quarters. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for FNB is 11.03 vs. an industry ratio of 12.70.
Vista Energy S.A.B. de C.V. (VIST)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The oil company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 2 analysts that follow the stock is $3.15. This value represents a 472.73% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for VIST is 6.42 vs. an industry ratio of 10.70.
Independent Bank Corp. (INDB)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The bank (northeast) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 3 analysts that follow the stock is $1.77. This value represents a 41.60% increase compared to the same quarter last year. INDB missed the consensus earnings per share in the 1st calendar quarter of 2026 by -1.18%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for INDB is 11.70 vs. an industry ratio of 11.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Simmons First National Corporation (SFNC)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The banks (southeast) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 4 analysts that follow the stock is $0.53. This value represents a 20.45% increase compared to the same quarter last year. SFNC missed the consensus earnings per share in the 3rd calendar quarter of 2025 by -4.17%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for SFNC is 11.17 vs. an industry ratio of 12.70.
DBV Technologies S.A. (DBVT)is reporting for the quarter ending June 30, 2026. The biomedical (gene) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 1 analyst that follows the stock is $-0.12. This value represents a 92.26% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for DBVT is -41.34 vs. an industry ratio of -13.00.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

After-Hours Earnings Report for July 16, 2026 : NFLX, AA, FNB, VIST, INDB, SFNC, DBVT

Key Points
Small-cap stocks have outperformed large caps in 2026 by the widest margin since 2003.
Even after the stcong start to the year, they still trade for a steep discount to the S&P 500.
The Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF could be a smart addition to a long-term investment portfolio right now.
Over the past few years, mega-cap technology stocks have dominated the headlines, and for good reason. The performance of companies like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG) has made owning anything other than the Magnificent Seven feel like a mistake.
Small-cap stocks, especially those outside of the technology sector, have underperformed for years. However, the tide seems to be turning. So far in 2026, small-caps are outperforming the S&P 500 by the widest margin in over two decades, and this could be just the beginning of a longer trend.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
One low-cost ETF that investors might want to take a closer look at is the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (NYSEMKT: VBR), which holds 835 smaller companies, most of which have below-average price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios relative to peers.
The Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF
The Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF is an index fund that tracks a diversified index of smaller companies with value characteristics. As mentioned earlier, it owns 835 different stocks with a median market cap of about $10 billion.
On average, stocks held by this index fund have a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.8, compared with 28.1 for the S&P 500 index. As you might expect from a value stock fund, the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF is light on technology, but has large concentrations in industrials, financials, and consumer discretionary stocks. To name a few, the fund's larger holdings include NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG), Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM), and Alcoa (NYSE: AA).
Although this is a weighted index fund, no single stock accounts for more than 1.25% of the fund's assets. And like most Vanguard ETFs, the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF has a low expense ratio (0.05%). These are the annual investment fees, which will be reflected in the fund's performance over time.
Still a good value
As I said earlier, small-cap stocks have outperformed this year, and the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF is up about 13% so far in 2026. But there is still a significant valuation gap between large-cap and small-cap stocks, and there could still be plenty of upside potential ahead.
For one thing, value stocks tend to benefit most from interest rate cuts, as they tend to carry more floating-rate debt than their large-cap counterparts. We're still in a relatively high-rate environment, plus small-cap stocks still trade at a significant discount to their historical average P/E ratios.
To be clear, I'm not saying I expect rates to fall right away or that the valuation gap between small- and large-cap stocks to close right away. But over the next several years, factors like these could lead to continued outperformance.
Should you buy stock in Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $407,651!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,252,823!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 922% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 10, 2026.
Matt Frankel, CFP® has positions in Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, NRG Energy, Nvidia, and Williams-Sonoma. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

This Vanguard ETF Owns Stocks Nobody Is Talking About -- and That's Why It's Worth a Look

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Wednesday closed down -0.22%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -0.03%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -1.54%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) fell -0.21%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) fell -1.57%.
Stock indexes settled lower on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 falling from a 1-week high and the Dow Jones Industrials retreating from a new all-time high. The selloff in chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks led the broader market lower on Wednesday, giving back some of their sharp rally over the past two sessions. Weaker-than-expected US economic news also weighed on stocks after the Jun ADP employment change rose less than expected and the Jun ISM manufacturing index fell more than expected.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Losses in the overall market were limited amid strength in the Magnificent Seven technology stocks and a rally in software companies. Also, US factory price pressures eased after the Jun ISM prices paid sub-index fell more than expected to a 4-month low. Stocks also found support on comments from Fed Chair Warsh, who said price risks have come down in recent weeks and that he is determined to bring inflation back down to the Fed’s 2% target.
US MBA mortgage applications were unchanged in the week ended June 26, with the purchase mortgage sub-index up +0.5% and the refinancing mortgage sub-index down -0.7%. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell -2 bp to 6.57% from 6.59% in the prior week.
The US Jun ADP employment change rose by +98,000, showing a weaker labor market than expectations of +120,000.
The US Jun ISM manufacturing index fell -0.7 to 53.3, weaker than expectations of 53.9. The Jun ISM prices paid sub index fell -9.1 to a 4-month low of 73.0, weaker than expectations of 77.5.
The outlook for strong Q2 earnings is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by 23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of 30%, which was more than double the 12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2.
WTI crude oil (CLQ26) fell more than -1% on Wednesday and posted a 4.25-month low. Crude prices came under pressure on Wednesday after a senior US administration official said that US negotiators held positive discussions in Qatar and progress is being made on technical talks with Iran. Also, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump had decided against resuming a broad military campaign against Iran and told his staff that he didn't mind if the negotiations extended beyond the August 18 deadline.
The markets are discounting a 27% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on July 28-29.
Overseas stock markets settled mixed on Wednesday. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed down -0.72%. China's Shanghai Composite climbed to a 1-week high and closed up +0.4%. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed up +0.59%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) on Wednesday closed down -10 ticks, and the 10-year T-note yield rose +0.8 bp to 4.473%. T-notes slid on Wednesday amid strengthening inflation expectations after the 10-year breakeven inflation rate rose to a 1-week high of 2.256%. Losses in T-notes were limited after the Jun ADP employment change, and the Jun ISM manufacturing index came in below expectations. Also, some short covering emerged in T-notes after Fed Chair Warsh said price risks have come down in recent weeks and that he is determined to bring inflation back down to the Fed’s 2% target.
European government bond yields were mixed on Wednesday. The 10-year German bund yield rose +1.9 bp to 2.878%. The 10-year UK gilt yield fell from a 1-week high of 4.817% and finished down -0.1 bp to 4.756%.
Eurozone Jun CPI eased to 2.8% y/y from 3.2% y/y in May, weaker than expectations of 3.0% y/y. Jun core CPI eased to 2.4% y/y from 2.6% y/y in May, weaker than expectations of 2.5% y/y.
The Eurozone Jun S&P manufacturing PMI was revised upward by +0.1 to 51.4 from the previously reported 51.3.
ECB President Christine Lagarde said that risks to inflation and growth are now more broadly balanced than a few weeks ago, due to the recent slide in crude oil prices.
Swaps are discounting a 4% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on July 23.
US Stock Movers
Chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks were under pressure on Wednesday, weighing on the broader market. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) closed down more than -6%. KLA Corp (KLAC) closed down more than -1%, and SanDisk (SNDK) closed down more than -10%. Also, Lam Research (LRCX), Applied Materials (AMAT), Micron Technology (MU), and Intel (INTC) closed down more than -9%, and Marvell Technology (MRVL) closed down more than -8%. In addition, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) closed down more than -7%, and Western Digital (WDC) closed down more than -6%.
Nebius Group NV (NBIS) closed down more than -17% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100, and CoreWeave (CRWV) closed down more than -13% as cloud-computing stocks fell on news that Meta Platforms is developing plans for a cloud infrastructure business to sell access to AI computing power and models.
Strength in the Magnificent Seven technology stocks supported the broader market on Wednesday. Meta Platforms (META) closed up more than +8% after saying it is developing plans for a cloud infrastructure business to sell access to AI computing power and models. Also, Microsoft (MSFT) closed up more than +3%, and Apple (AAPL), Tesla (TSLA), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Amazon.com (AMZN) closed up more than +1%. Nvidia (NVDA) bucked the trend and closed down more than -1% amid weakness in chipmakers.
Software stocks rallied on Wednesday, a positive factor for the overall market. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) closed up more than +7%, and Atlassian Corp (TEAM), ServiceNow (NOW), and Workday (WDAY) closed up more than +6%. Also, Salesforce (CRM) closed up by more than +4% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials. In addition, Autodesk (ADSK) closed up more than +3%, and Intuit (INTU) and Adobe Systems (ADBE) closed up more than +2%.
Alcoa (AA) closed down more than -8% after agreeing to acquire South32 Ltd.’s bauxite, alumina, and aluminum assets in a deal worth as much as $5.6 billion.
Caterpillar (CAT) closed down more than -6% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after Scion Asset Management founder Michal Burry said he shorted Caterpillar shares for the first time.
Walmart (WMT) closed down more than -3% after Cleveland Research issued a report on Walmart that said quarter-to-date trends have slowed.
General Mills (GIS) closed up more than +8% after reporting Q4 adjusted EPS of 95 cents, stronger than the consensus of 80 cents.
FactSet Research Systems (FDS) closed up more than +6% after reporting Q3 adjusted EPS of $4.53, better than the consensus of $4.43.
Fox Corp (FOXA) closed up more than +3% after Wolfe Research upgraded the stock to outperform from peer perform.
MSC Industrial Direct (MSM) closed up more than +3% after forecasting Q4 average daily sales up +6.5% to +8.5%, the midpoint above the consensus of +6.99%.
Earnings Reports(7/2/2026)
Lindsay Corp (LNN) and National Beverage Corp (FIZZ).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Weakness in Chipmakers Drags Stock Indexes Lower

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.08%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.24%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.97%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are down -0.04%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.95%.
Stock indexes are mostly lower today as chipmakers and AI stocks fall back after their sharp rally over the past two sessions. Weaker-than-expected US economic news also weighed on stocks after the Jun ADP employment change rose less than expected and the Jun ISM manufacturing index fell more than expected.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
However, stock indexes recovered from their worst levels and are trading mixed as software stocks rallied and US factory price pressures eased after the Jun ISM prices paid sub-index fell more than expected to a 4-month low. Stocks also found support after Fed Chair Warsh said price risks have come down in recent weeks and that he is determined to bring inflation back down to the Fed’s 2% target.
US MBA mortgage applications were unchanged in the week ended June 26, with the purchase mortgage sub-index up +0.5% and the refinancing mortgage sub-index down -0.7%. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell -2 bp to 6.57% from 6.59% in the prior week.
The US Jun ADP employment change rose by +98,000, showing a weaker labor market than expectations of +120,000.
The US Jun ISM manufacturing index fell -0.7 to 53.3, weaker than expectations of 53.9. The Jun ISM prices paid sub index fell -9.1 to a 4-month low of 73.0, weaker than expectations of 77.5.
The outlook for strong Q2 earnings is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by 23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of 30%, which was more than double the 12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2.
WTI crude oil (CLQ26) is down more than -1% today and posted a 4.25-month low. Crude prices came under pressure today after a senior US administration official said that US negotiators held positive discussions in Qatar and progress is being made on technical talks with Iran. Also, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump had decided against resuming a broad military campaign against Iran and told his staff that he didn't mind if the negotiations extended beyond the August 18 deadline. Energy supplies are picking up as Morgan Stanley said 35 oil and gas tankers exited the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz last Thursday, the first time the level returned to the 30-to-40 range typical before the US-Iran war started in February.
The markets are discounting a 29% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on July 28-29.
Overseas stock markets are mixed today. The Euro Stoxx 50 is down -0.76%. China's Shanghai Composite climbed to a 1-week high and closed up +0.4%. Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average closed up +0.59%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) on Tuesday are down -6 ticks, and the 10-year T-note yield is up +3.9 bp to 4.459%. T-notes are sliding today amid strengthening inflation expectations after the 10-year breakeven inflation rate rose to a 1-week high of 2.255%. Losses in T-notes are limited after the Jun ADP employment change and the Jun ISM manufacturing index came in below expectations. Also, some short covering emerged in T-notes after Fed Chair Warsh said price risks have come down in recent weeks and that he is determined to bring inflation back down to the Fed’s 2% target.
European government bond yields are moving higher today. The 10-year German bund yield is up +2.5 bp to 2.884%. The 10-year UK gilt yield rose to a 1-week high of 4.817% and is up +2.0 bp to 4.776%.
Eurozone Jun CPI eased to 2.8% y/y from 3.2% y/y in May, weaker than expectations of 3.0% y/y. Jun core CPI eased to 2.4% y/y from 2.6% y/y in May, weaker than expectations of 2.5% y/y.
The Eurozone Jun S&P manufacturing PMI was revised upward by +0.1 to 51.4 from the previously reported 51.3.
ECB President Christine Lagarde said that risks to inflation and growth are now more broadly balanced than a few weeks ago, due to the recent slide in crude oil prices.
Swaps are discounting a 5% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on July 23.
US Stock Movers
Chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks are under pressure today, leading the broader market lower. SanDisk (SNDK) is down more than -10%, and KLA Corp (KLAC) and Lam Research (LRCX) are down more than -9%. Also, Applied Materials (AMAT), Micron Technology (MU), and Intel (INTC) are down more than -8%, and Western Digital (WDC) is down more than -7%. In addition, Seagate Technology Holdings Plc (STX) and Marvell Technology (MRVL) are down more than -6%, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), and ASML Holding NV (ASML) are down more than -5%.
Nebius Group NV (NBIS) is down more than -16% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100, and CoreWeave (CRWV) is down more than -14% as cloud-computing stocks are falling on news that Meta Platforms is developing plans for a cloud infrastructure business to sell access to AI computing power and models.
Software stocks are climbing today, a positive factor for the overall market. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) is up more than +9%, and Atlassian Corp (TEAM) is up more than +8%. Also, ServiceNow (NOW) and Workday (WDAY) are up more than +6%, and Salesforce (CRM) is up more than +5% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials. In addition, Autodesk (ADSK) and Intuit (INTU) are up more than +4%, and Microsoft (MSFT), Datadog (DDOG), and Adobe Systems (ADBE) are up more than +3%.
Alcoa (AA) is down more than -10% after agreeing to acquire South32 Ltd.’s bauxite, alumina, and aluminum assets in a deal worth as much as $5.6 billion.
Caterpillar (CAT) is down more than -5% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after Scion Asset Management founder Michal Burry said he shorted Caterpillar shares for the first time.
Kroger (KR) is down more than -2% after agreeing to acquire Giant Eagle Inc. for about $1.65 billion.
Meta Platforms (META) is up more than +11% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 after saying it is developing plans for a cloud infrastructure business to sell access to AI computing power and models.
General Mills (GIS) is up more than +8% after reporting Q4 adjusted EPS of 95 cents, stronger than the consensus of 80 cents.
FactSet Research Systems (FDS) is up more than +6% after reporting Q3 adjusted EPS of $4.53, better than the consensus of $4.43.
Fox Corp (FOXA) is up more than +5% after Wolfe Research upgraded the stock to outperform from peer perform.
MSC Industrial Direct (MSM) is up more than +4% after forecasting Q4 average daily sales up +6.5% to +8.5%, the midpoint above the consensus of +6.99%.
Earnings Reports(7/1/2026)
FactSet Research Systems Inc (FDS), Franklin Covey Co (FC), General Mills Inc (GIS), Greenbrier Cos Inc/The (GBX), MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc (MSM), UniFirst Corp/MA (UNF).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alcoa Corporation

Sign up and unlock all the capabilities of the AI-screener