Monday’s market tone was marked by caution and limited conviction as investors look ahead to pivotal central bank commentary and retail earnings. Sector rotation into defenses, renewed tariff headlines, and consumer unease all contributed to a soft start for the week. Yes indeed, stocks opened the week with subdued momentum as investors shifted into a wait-and-see stance ahead of key Federal Reserve events and major retail earnings later in the week. The S&P 500 declined by .01%, closing at 6,449.15 after five of its eleven sectors ended in the red, notably Financials, Technology, and Industrials. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was also dropped .08% to close at 44,911.82, with mixed component action. The Nasdaq Composite added just .3% to close at 21,629.77, as weakness persisted in chip stocks and broader tech. The Russell 2000 also rose .35% to close at 2,294.47.
Macroeconomic Reports
No major economic releases were scheduled for Monday, but market sentiment was weighed by recent data indicating slowing consumer sentiment and persistent inflation expectations. The University of Michigan’s survey showed year-ahead inflation expectations rising to 3.9% (from 3.4%), with a notable drop in consumer confidence. Homebuilder sentiment also weakened in August, pushing sales incentives to a five-year high. Investors looked ahead to the coming week’s housing and retail reports.
Federal Reserve, Yield Curve & Interest Rates
No new FOMC announcements were released today, but anticipation remains for this week’s Jackson Hole Symposium. Treasury yields were realtively steady, with the 10-year yield last quoted at 4.34%, slightly below last week’s peak and the 2-yr closed at 3.771%. The yield curve stayed flat, reflecting ongoing uncertainty about the Fed’s policy direction in the face of elevated inflation expectations.
Tariff and Trade News
The Commerce Department enacted expanded steel and aluminum tariffs, adding over 400 derivative products to the tariff list effective August 18. White House trade advisers warned India again regarding Russian oil purchases. U.S. customs clarified duties on gold bullion imports in response to recent tariff adjustments. Consumer inflation expectations edged higher, and consumer sentiment fell, as households braced for further price pressures.
Corporate Headlines & Share Price Movements
NVIDIA (NVDA) treaded water, but still rose to $182.01, +.86%, as sentiment remains cautious amid ongoing government export taxes on leading chipmakers and diminishing demand for new hardware. The sector is facing the headwinds of restricted supply and higher costs for sophisticated AI computing hardware.
Tesla (TSLA) showed resilience and closed 1.39% higher closing at $335.16, maintaining stability as investors awaited updates on autonomous vehicle developments and supply chain management strategies.
Meta Platforms (META) traded 2.27% lower closing at $767.37, consolidating after a string of advances. Analyst focus is turning to Meta’s next phase in AI innovation and global data center expansion, with privacy debates remaining a soft overhang.
McDonald’s (MCD) closed .07% lower closing at $308.70 as consumer staples outperformed amid risk aversion, gaining modestly in a defensive rotation.
Oracle (ORCL) rose .32% to close at $249.07 after recent profit-taking, with cloud and AI business growth still underpinning long-term optimism.
Palantir Technologies (PLTR) fell 1.77% to close at $174.03 and continues to shine overall (up 130.11% YTD) following S&P 500 inclusion and ongoing momentum in AI-driven analytics, bolstered by large contract wins.
Rio Tinto Group traded 1.44% lower to close at $60.36 with the metals sector adjusting to supply chain disruptions and the impact of new tariffs on global commodity trade.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts
No major S&P 500 buyouts or acquisitions were announced today. The recent wave of large deals—T-Mobile’s purchase of U.S. Cellular (closed August 1), Mallinckrodt and Endo Pharma’s merger, and Chevron’s completed acquisition of Hess—dominated headlines earlier this month, but no new significant transactions hit the tape on Monday.
IPO Activity (NYSE/Nasdaq)
No major IPOs debuted today. The week’s IPO calendar anticipates listings from Curanex Pharmaceuticals (CURX), Hang Feng Technology Innovation Co. (FOFO), and Yimutian (YMT), with trading set to begin later in the week.
Commodities & Cryptocurrencies Closing Prices
- Gold: Dipped to $3,378, -.14%.
- Silver: Traded closed at $38.065/oz, +.24%.
- Oil (WTI): closed at $63.28/barrel, +.76%.
- Bitcoin: Closed at $116,690.
Top 5 Gainers: Monday, August 18, 2025
Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (PPCB)
Propanc Biopharma surged an exceptional 103.83% to close at $5.85. The micro-cap biotech name traded an outsized 67.8million shares, dwarfing its three-month average. PPCB’s spectacular move builds on a year-to-date rally of over 239,000%, driven by intense speculative interest and recent investor updates on its anti-cancer portfolio. The company remains highly volatile with little public visibility into near-term revenues or future earnings.
Dayforce Inc. (DAY)
Dayforce powered ahead 25.98% to $66.62 as investors responded to better-than-expected quarterly results and bullish forward guidance. Over 10.8million shares changed hands, nearly six times the typical volume. The software and HR solutions provider continues to see robust demand for cloud-based payroll and workforce management services, supporting a $10.6billion market cap. However, shares remain volatile, as reflected by a very elevated P/E ratio near 222.
Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR)
Cipher Mining climbed 16.12% to $6.05, with volume above 35.7million shares. The bitcoin mining operator has gained significant attention from investors as digital asset prices remain buoyant. CIFR is up over 30% for the year, but profitability challenges persist, and the lack of a forward PE ratio suggests ongoing uncertainty about future earnings stability.
Applied Digital Corporation (APLD)
Applied Digital saw its shares jump 15.97% to $16.34, trading nearly 70million shares. The company, operating digital infrastructure for cloud and high-performance computing, has posted an impressive 242% gain over the past 52 weeks. With a market cap nearing $4.3billion, APLD remains a speculative favorite in the tech infrastructure space despite a lack of trailing PE metrics.
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL)
Duolingo advanced 12.93% to $369.19, notching solid gains after reporting strong user growth and profitability trends. Volume stood at 3.13million—well above average—with shares now up nearly 58% over the past year. Boasting a market cap of $16.92billion and a trailing PE of 150.7, the language-learning app maintains its reputation as a fast-growing EdTech innovator, but valuations are stretched.
