U.S. market watch highlights Walmart earnings, jobless claims and crypto policy

Traders Union
All News
Financial News
US market watch: key highlights

Highlights

Walmart shares are down nearly 15% over the past three months ahead of Thursday's quarterly earnings release at 7 a.m.
Bitcoin nears $70,000 with over 10% gains in August, while Coinbase shares rise 7% in five days but remain 60% below their October high.
Dow Jones estimates 210,000 weekly jobless claims with 48% of Kalshi traders predicting a higher reading; Meta shares fall 7.4% this week.

Thursday catalysts for stocks and policy

As reported by CNBC, traders are watching whether a potential U.S.-Canada agreement reduces the risk of a new round of tariffs on Canadian goods. The iShares MSCI Canada ETF, EWC, sits just below Monday’s high, after gaining nearly 15% in 2026 and about 32% over the past year.

European risks are also in focus after European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warns that Europe faces economic pressure from a potentially smaller American defense umbrella, changes in global trade power and reduced access to cheap energy for manufacturing. The iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, EZU, recently hits a high and is up 11% in 2026 and 17% over the past year.

Crypto markets are on the radar as Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong appears on “Squawk Box” after attending a White House tech meeting on Wednesday. Bitcoin closes in on $70,000, up more than 10% so far in August, while the proposed Clarity Act remains part of the policy discussion; Coinbase shares are up 7% in the past five days but still down 60% from their October high.

Earnings and legal issues shape sector outlook

Thursday’s company calendar centers on Walmart, which is due to release quarterly results around 7 a.m., with shares down almost 15% over the past three months. Deere also reports during the 6 a.m. hour of “Squawk Box,” with its shares up 4% over three months, while Alibaba reports early Thursday morning after its stock falls 5% over the same period.

Labor data could add another market test when weekly jobless claims are released at 8:30 a.m. The Dow Jones consensus estimate stands at 210,000 initial claims, while activity on prediction market Kalshi shows 48% of traders expect a reading above that estimate and 23% expect it to top 215,000.

Other names in focus include Meta Platforms and Micron Technology. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is set to discuss the Meta case and the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal, while Meta shares are down 7.4% so far this week; Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra is also due to appear on “Mad Money,” with the stock down 3.5% this week, 25% below its June 25 high, but still up 228% in 2026.

In our earlier report on the White House’s crypto policy push, we covered President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with cryptocurrency executives as regulators moved forward with new oversight for digital assets. We also noted the SEC’s proposed exemptions for certain token offerings and the CFTC’s ongoing discussions of crypto rules, alongside growing political scrutiny of the administration’s ties to the sector.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.