FOMC Minutes Put FED Path In Focus 08/04/2026

HOT stories for today

Market wrap:

• US stocks ended mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed shifting signals on whether a ceasefire in the Iran conflict could still be reached. The S&P 500 edged up 0.08%, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.10%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 85 points. Stocks recovered from session lows in the final hour after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked President Donald Trump to delay by two weeks a threatened strike on Iranian bridges and power plants. Sharif also urged Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a gesture of goodwill. The request came just ahead of Trump’s 8 p.m. Eastern deadline for Iran to reach an agreement with the US over the waterway.
• Trump had warned that if Tehran failed to comply, the US could target key infrastructure and escalate military pressure sharply. Markets got further relief after the close, when Trump agreed to suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks. Asian equities rallied on Wednesday on the pause, while US crude fell sharply. West Texas Intermediate for May delivery dropped more than 12% to $98.79. Even with that pullback, oil remains up more than 70% this year as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to strain global energy markets, pushing the US average gasoline price above $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022. Investors now turn to Delta Air Lines earnings before Wednesday’s opening bell and the release of Federal Reserve meeting minutes at 2 p.m.

Apple Drops on Foldable iPhone Delay Fears

• Apple Inc. (AAPL) fell Tuesday after a report raised concerns that its highly anticipated foldable iPhone could face multimonth delays due to engineering challenges uncovered in early testing. The stock dropped as much as 5.1% intraday before paring losses to close down 2.1%, as investors weighed the risk of a delayed launch against expectations that the device will be unveiled later this year. Bloomberg reported that the product timeline remains broadly on track for a fall debut. The foldable iPhone is widely viewed as a key catalyst for Apple, with analysts saying it could drive the company’s biggest upgrade cycle in four years. A delay, however, could weigh on iPhone demand later this year if Apple fails to introduce a compelling new product. 
• Estimates suggest the device could be priced between $2,000 and $2,500, potentially lifting margins and supporting earnings growth into fiscal 2027 if shipments reach 12 million to 15 million units. Some analysts remain skeptical that delays will materialize, citing industry checks indicating the launch is still proceeding as planned. Still, the episode highlights investor sensitivity to execution risk at a time when Apple is also facing pressure to deliver on its artificial-intelligence strategy. Broader market dynamics may also have contributed to the move, as Apple’s role as a relative defensive play in the early stages of the Iran conflict has come into question amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.

Stocks on the move:

• Broadcom (AVGO): Shares jumped 6.21% after the chipmaker agreed to produce Google’s AI chips and expanded its compute-capacity partnership with Anthropic.
• Medicare Advantage insurers (HUM, UNH, CVS): The group rallied after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services raised final 2027 payment rates by 2.48%, well above the 0.09% increase proposed in January. The higher rate is expected to unlock about $13 billion in additional government payments, supporting shares of Humana, UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health.
• CrowdStrike (CRWD): Shares gained 6.18% after Wolfe Research upgraded the stock.
• Arista Networks (ANET): Shares rose 5.85%, helped by broader strength in cybersecurity-related names.
• Palo Alto Networks (PANW): Shares added 4.89% as demand for AI-driven security tools continued to support the sector.
• Trade Desk (TTD): Shares fell 6.8% as richly valued growth stocks came under renewed pressure.

Watchlist: DAL, HES, CRWD, AVGO, AAPL, CVS, TTD, COIN, MU

Key Economic Events Today:

EST time

10:30 am: USD Crude Oil Inventories
02:00 pm: USD FOMC Meeting Minutes


Earnings

BMC (Before Market Open): Delta Air Lines (DAL), Beasley Broadcast Group (BBGI), Hess Corporation (HES)

AMC (After Market Close): Constellation Brands (STZ), Applied Digital Corp. (APLD)


The TEFS Analyst team wishes you a successful day!