5 things you should know before opening the stock market

American futures at the share are lower in the middle of four -member losing stripes for the S&P 500; Quarterly profit Walmart (WMT) is missing a mark, but the return comes better than expected and the retail giant raises its year -round view; The US and the European Union announces the trade framework; Meta platform (meta) allegedly freeze hiring AI in the middle of worry about the level of expenditure; And the CME Group (CME) is associated with Flutter Entertainment (flut) Fanduel to offer “event contracts” on financial markets and economic data. Here’s what investors need to know today.

1. American futures on stocks show lower as investor earnings, US-EU commercial agreement

American futures on stocks are said lower because investors spend income from Walmart and review the latest trade between the US and the European Union. Futures S&P 500 are 0.2% lower after falling to the fourth consultant meeting on Wednesday. Futures Nasdaq are also slightly down after a 0.7% technology index yesterday, while industrial average Futures Dow Jones are 0.3% lower after yesterday’s closed blue chips index. Bitcoin (BTCUSD) moves lower and trades around $ 113,500. Decree of the 10 -year cash register is a small change. Futures oil is higher. Gold futures are lower.

2. Walmart Outlook lifts, however

Walmart (WMT) reported profit in the second quarter of the fiscal 2026, which came under anticipation, even though it returned and culminated in comparable sales. The retail giant published a modified profit per share $ 0.68, below $ 0.73 expectations of the respondent visible Alpha. Returned year -on -year increased by almost 5% to $ 177.40 billion, which is 175.97 billion consensus, while American comparable sales growth increased 4.3%, above 4.1% projection. Walmart also increased the fiscal instructions of 2026 for revenue and modified profit per share. Walmart shares are more than 3% lower in the premarket trading.

3. The US, the EU announces the framework of tariffs and investments

The US and the European Union issued a common Ustrica, which announced an agreement on trade and investment. The EU “intends to eliminate tariffs for all US industrial goods and to provide preferential access to the market for a wide range of American seafood and agricultural goods”, while the US “applies to the goods of the higher nation (MFN) of the rate or a 15%customs rate”. It builds on agriculture among business partners announced in July, including a European obligation to buy 750 billion US energy products.

4. Meta freezing hiring AI during expenditure

The meta platform (meta) has frozen hiring for its artificial intelligence unit after Facebook’s parent freely spent in an effort to lure some of the best technical talents, according to The Wall Street Journal. Meta hired at least 50 scientists and AI engineers because it creates a unit of “superintelligence” for developing better AI applications, News Said. With the meta reportedly offered to sign up to $ 100 million in an effort to a poacher of talents, News They stated that some analysts are afraid that the cost of compensation based on META shares threatens the revenues from shareholders. Meta shares are lower.

5. CME Group, Fanduel to offer “Event Contracts” on Financial Markets

The Exchange CME Group (CME) is associated with the Flutter Entertainment (Flut) Fanduel to offer its users a way to conclude “events based contracts” on the financial market. Later this year, Fanduel users will be able to trade contracts on various financial events, from movements on the S&P 500, NASDAQ and cryptocurrency markets to economic reports of inflation and gross domestic product. This step follows a similar offer from Trading App Robinhood Markets (Hood), which opened its platforms “contracts” at sports events. The shares of CME Group and Flutter Entertainment speculate slightly higher in the premarket trading.