Quick Answer
S&P 500 futures gained approximately 0.2% before the opening bell on August 13, while Dow futures rose 0.2% and Nasdaq 100 futures edged up 0.1%.
Oil prices fell nearly 2% as a large increase in U.S. crude inventories and weaker demand projections competed with continuing supply risks surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
The next potential market catalyst is the July U.S. Producer Price Index, scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time—one hour before regular trading begins.
Key Takeaways
- S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq 100 futures recorded modest gains.
- July’s U.S. Producer Price Index is the morning’s main economic release.
- Brent and WTI crude fell amid weaker demand forecasts and higher U.S. inventories.
- Lower oil prices could ease inflation pressure but weigh on TSX energy shares.
- Cisco, Cerebras and Tapestry declined in pre-market trading, while Dell, HP and Accelerant advanced.
- Applied Materials is among the important companies reporting after the closing bell.
U.S. futures rise, but the move remains cautious
At approximately 7 a.m. ET, S&P 500 futures were up 0.18%, Dow futures gained 0.21% and Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.09%.
The movement indicated a mildly positive opening rather than a decisive shift in market direction. Futures remained within a narrow range as investors waited for the morning’s inflation and labour-market data.
The Dow and S&P 500 remained close to record territory, while the Nasdaq had recovered significantly after falling into correction territory in late July. Strong results and forecasts from several artificial-intelligence infrastructure companies have helped revive interest in technology shares.
Alphabet, Amazon and Apple were each trading approximately 0.3% to 0.5% higher before the bell, according to Reuters.
Why the July U.S. PPI matters
The Producer Price Index measures changes over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers. It can provide an indication of inflation pressure earlier in the supply chain.
July’s PPI report is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 13, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The market consensus called for headline PPI to rise approximately 0.2% from June, while core PPI was expected to increase approximately 0.3%. Estimates can vary slightly among economic-data providers.
June’s headline PPI declined 0.3%, according to the BLS. Prices for final-demand goods fell 1.4%, while prices for final-demand services rose 0.2%. On a year-over-year basis, final-demand producer prices were up 5.5% in June.
The report follows July consumer-inflation data that reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve would avoid an immediate interest-rate increase. Futures, Treasury yields and rate-sensitive shares could move quickly if the producer-price figures differ substantially from forecasts.
Weekly U.S. unemployment claims are also scheduled for Thursday morning. Investors will additionally monitor comments from Cleveland Federal Reserve President Beth Hammack and Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin.
Oil falls after a large U.S. inventory increase
Oil prices retreated after rising for several consecutive sessions.
Brent crude fell approximately 1.7% to $87.44 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate declined about 1.9% to $81.66 a barrel.
U.S. commercial crude inventories increased by 17.4 million barrels during the week ended August 7, reaching 424.4 million barrels. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected inventories to decline by approximately 1.4 million barrels.
Oil-demand expectations also weakened. OPEC lowered its forecast for growth in global oil demand in 2026, while the International Energy Agency projected a contraction in annual consumption.
Those pressures pushed oil prices lower, but geopolitical risk remained elevated. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continued to face restrictions, while the United States and Iran had not reached an agreement capable of resolving the continuing disruption.
Traders were therefore balancing weaker demand expectations and larger U.S. inventories against the possibility of another supply shock affecting a major global energy route. Reuters
TSX futures face a mixed oil signal
Canadian stock futures also pointed higher before the opening bell, although falling crude prices could limit gains among TSX energy producers.
Lower oil prices can reduce inflation pressure and support consumer-facing and transportation companies. For Canada’s resource-heavy benchmark, however, the effect is more complicated because oil and gas producers carry substantial weight in the index.
The TSX’s direction may therefore depend on whether optimism surrounding inflation and interest rates outweighs possible weakness in Canadian energy shares.
Canadian investors will also be watching gold, which fell approximately 0.5% Thursday morning.
Asian and European markets mostly advance
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained approximately 1.2%, while South Korea’s Kospi posted a stronger advance as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rallied.
China’s Shanghai Composite moved lower, leaving the wider Asian session mixed.
European markets were slightly higher. The pan-European STOXX 600 gained approximately 0.2%, with banks among the leading sectors. Lower oil prices supported some travel and leisure shares while pressuring energy producers.
Individual corporate results also produced notable movements. Payments company Adyen advanced after improving its revenue-growth outlook, while shipping company Maersk gained after beating profit expectations and raising its full-year guidance.
Cisco and Cerebras fall before the bell
Several company-specific developments produced larger movements than the major index futures:
- Cisco Systems fell approximately 5.8%, despite forecasting fiscal 2027 revenue above Wall Street expectations.
- Cerebras Systems declined sharply after the AI-chip developer missed quarterly revenue estimates.
- Dell Technologies gained approximately 3.6%.
- HP advanced approximately 2.6% after Lenovo reported stronger-than-expected results.
- Accelerant surged after agreeing to be acquired by private-equity firm Thoma Bravo in an all-cash transaction valued at more than $4 billion.
- Tapestry declined approximately 8.3%, despite the Coach owner issuing an upbeat annual earnings forecast.
Applied Materials is scheduled to report after Thursday’s closing bell. Its results and outlook could influence semiconductor-equipment shares and the broader AI-investment theme.
What investors should watch at the opening bell
The futures direction was positive, but Thursday’s opening setup remained dependent on the economic data.
A softer-than-expected PPI report could support the view that producer inflation is easing and reduce expectations for additional Federal Reserve rate increases. A hotter report could push Treasury yields higher and challenge the early gains in equity futures.
Oil is the second major variable. Its decline provides some inflation relief, but the market remains exposed to developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. That leaves crude prices vulnerable to a rapid reversal if supply conditions deteriorate.
TwikUp Insight
Thursday morning presents two competing market stories. Lower oil prices are easing one source of inflation pressure, while the PPI report will show whether broader producer costs are moving in the same direction.
The modest futures advance suggests investors are leaning positive, but they are not making a strong commitment before seeing the data. For the TSX, falling oil offers potential inflation relief while also threatening to weigh on one of the index’s most influential sectors.
Market figures are pre-market snapshots from August 13, 2026, and may change rapidly. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial or trading advice.