5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens on Monday
5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens on Monday
Aaron McDadeMon, August 3, 2026 at 12:03 PM UTC
0
The major stock indexes posted gains last week to snap multi-week losing streaks.Credit: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Stock futures are pointing to a higher open to kick off August trading as investors look ahead to a packed week of earnings reports; oil prices are tumbling after the U.S. paused strikes on Iran over the weekend; SpaceX is due to reports earnings for the first time this week, headlining a busy week of corporate results; Palantir is scheduled to release its earnings report after the closing bell today; and shares of AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb are moving sharply following a report that the pharmaceutical giants have discussed a potential merger. Here’s what you today.
Stock Futures Rise to Kick Off August Trading
Stock futures are higher this morning while oil prices are sliding after President Trump over the weekend said the U.S. military would pause strikes in Iran (more on that below). Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 1.1% in recent trading, while futures tied to the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.6% and 0.2%, respectively. The major indexes posted gains last week despite volatile trading fueled by Big Tech earnings reports and the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates. In July, the Nasdaq dropped more than 3%, while the Dow and S&P 500 finished the month little-changed. WTI crude oil futures were down 6% at just under $80 per barrel as investors tracked the Iran war developments. Gold futures were up slightly at $4,120 an ounce, while bitcoin traded around $62,500, down from a Friday high north of $65,000. The 10-year Treasury yield, which affects interest rates on loans, was at 4.67% recently, down from Friday’s close of 4.74%, its highest level since January 2025.
Oil Prices Tumble After Trump Announces Pause in Iran Strikes
A day after making renewed threats to continue hitting Iran “very hard,” President Trump said late Saturday that Iran and other countries in the region had asked for a pause in strikes to discuss a deal. The president said on social media that the “perimeters of a deal” had been agreed to, and told reporters Sunday that talks would begin Monday, without specifying who would take part or where the talks would be held. Iranian officials have said through state media that Iran is not currently negotiating with the U.S., only with Oman to create a safe pathway through the Strait of Hormuz, per The . WTI crude oil futures, the U.S. benchmark, were down 6% to $79.50 per barrel recently, while Brent futures, the international standard, fell more than 5% to $83.30.
Advertisement
SpaceX Headlines Another Busy Week of Earnings
The second-quarter earnings season rolls along this week, with SpaceX (SPCX) in focus as it prepares to release quarterly results tomorrow afternoon for the first time since its massive IPO in June. Data analytics software giant Palantir (PLTR) and On Semiconductor (ON) are scheduled to release their numbers after today’s closing bell, while Caterpillar (CAT), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), McDonald’s (MCD) and Pfizer (PFE) are among the big-name companies set to report on Tuesday. Weight-loss drugmakers Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) are scheduled to release results on Wednesday, as are Disney (DIS), Uber (UBER), CVS Health (CVS), DoorDash (DASH), Sandisk (SNDK) and Western Digital (WDC). Aside from earnings, investors are awaiting the release of the July jobs report on Friday.
Palantir Earnings Due After the Closing Bell
Palantir is scheduled to report second-quarter results after markets close today. Palantir was one of the hottest stocks in tech last year, peaking at a record high of $207 last November, but shares have lost around 40% of their value since. Investors have grown concerned about the impact AI could have on the broader software market, and some market watchers—including “Big Short” investor Michael Burry—have voiced concerns that last year’s rally left Palantir overvalued. The company is expected to report revenue of $1.81 billion for the second quarter, up 80% year-over-year, along with adjusted earnings of 35 cents per share, but solid earnings haven’t been enough to lift the stock out of its slide so far this year. Shares were up 2% premarket.
AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb Reportedly in Talks On Mega Merger
Pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca (AZN) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) have held talks on a potential merger that would value the combined company at around $400 billion, according to The Financial Times.Late Sunday, the FT reported that the two companies have discussed a merger, while noting that the deal could be abandoned over worries about potential political pushback and the close competitive nature of several of the companies’ drugs, including cancer treatments. U.S.-listed shares of England-based AstraZeneca were down 4% premarket, while Bristol-Myers Squibb shares rose 5%, putting them on track to hit their highest level since May 2023.
on Investopedia
Source: “AOL Money”
