Iran strikes and Fed jitters weighed heavy, but Tesla's Cybercab buzz gave our portfolio a much-needed lift

Morning brief: Oil's flirting with $90, the Fed's still buzzing, and our chip darlings are learning margins matter more than ever

Published Aug 31, 2026, 8:01 AM EDT

Oil Surges as Geopolitics & Fed Press Futures

Surging crude past $90 after U.S. strikes on Iran, coupled with hawkish Fed rate chatter, is keeping market futures cautious before the bell.

Marvell Drops 10.3% Despite Record Earnings

Wall Street punished the chipmaker over custom-silicon margin concerns and rich valuation despite Q2 revenue beats and raised multi-year guidance.

IREN Plunges 12.5% on Massive Loss & Miss

A wider-than-expected $684M quarterly net loss and sliding revenue drove heavy selling as the company transitions from Bitcoin mining to AI compute.

Workday Jumps 5.8% on Q2 Beat & Buyback

Strong Q2 earnings beats, elevated margin guidance to 31%, and a fresh $4 billion buyback authorization triggered aggressive dip buying.

Focus Shifts to ISM & Jobs Data This Week

Traders are bracing for Tuesday's ISM manufacturing read and Friday's monthly jobs report to confirm if rate hikes remain on the Fed's table.

Posture: With CNN Fear & Greed at 54 (Neutral) alongside surging crude and hawkish Fed chatter, we adopt a cautious, selective Neutral market posture.

Tickers in focus: MRVL, WDAY

Upcoming earnings

• BLK — 2026-10-12, TBD
• JNJ — 2026-10-13, TBD
• IBKR — 2026-10-14, After Market Close
• MS — 2026-10-14, Before Market Open
• SCHW — 2026-10-14, Before Market Open
• KO — 2026-10-19, Before Market Open

Evening brief: Iran strikes and Fed jitters weighed heavy, but Tesla's Cybercab buzz gave our portfolio a much-needed lift

Published Aug 31, 2026, 8:01 PM EDT

Iran Strikes & Fed Fears Drag Stocks Lower

U.S. strikes in Hormuz boosted oil, while Fed rate-hike warnings pressured broader equities to close out August.

Tesla Jumps 5.51% Ahead of Cybercab Event

Shares crossed the 50-day moving average as traders heavily positioned for the upcoming September 3 Cybercab event.

Howmet Plunges 7.51% on SpaceX Turbine Plan

The stock dropped after Elon Musk announced SpaceX will cast natural gas turbine components in-house, threatening HWM demand.

Pinterest Drops 6.38% as CFO Resigns

Shares fell following the sudden departure of CFO Julia Donnelly alongside broader concerns over decelerating ad revenue.

Focus Shifts to Jobs Data and Cybercab Event

Traders turn to Friday's August jobs report for Fed rate clues, while Tesla's Thursday event leads single-stock catalysts.

Posture: With neutral sentiment at 50, we adopt a cautious, neutral stance, balancing oil supply shocks against persistent Fed rate-hike fears.

Tickers in focus: SPY, TSLA

Upcoming earnings

• BLK — 2026-10-12, TBD
• JNJ — 2026-10-13, TBD
• IBKR — 2026-10-14, After Market Close
• MS — 2026-10-14, Before Market Open
• SCHW — 2026-10-14, Before Market Open
• KO — 2026-10-19, Before Market Open

The day's lineup changes

• Aug 31, 2026 · RDDT — Stage change Holding → Buy Zone @ $148
  The S&P-inclusion pop we refused to chase gave it all back — $148 against our $185 value with the 61%-growth ad engine intact. 25% upside restored; back in the buy-zone.