US Stock Market Key News Summary August 14, 2026

Today’s Market Preview:

Eurozone Q2 GDP revised value

US July Retail Sales

US August University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index preliminary reading

Earnings Report: Applied Materials (AMAT-US)

Trump Administration Deploys AI to Crack Down on Chinese Origin Fraud – Taiwan and Other Nations Labeled 'Tier 1' Transshipment Risk

The Trump administration on Thursday (August 13) designated over 40 global trading partners as high-risk areas for illegal transshipment, targeting Chinese goods being rerouted through third countries to alter their origin and enter the U.S., thereby evading higher tariffs imposed on Chinese products. Named economies include the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore.

<Earnings> Applied Materials Posts Strong Results But Falls 5% After Hours Despite Beating Expectations

Applied Materials (AMAT-US) delivered better-than-expected earnings and guidance, yet the market reacted indifferently. Shares dropped over 5% in after-hours trading on Thursday (13th), signaling that investors hold even higher expectations for this key player in the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, whose stock has more than doubled over the past year.

SanDisk Soars Over 13%! Unveils 2030 Growth Roadmap with Target to Maintain ~80% Adjusted Gross Margin

Memory giant SanDisk (SNDK-US) revealed its latest long-term financial targets during an investor day, forecasting annual revenue growth of 15% to 19% from fiscal years 2028 to 2030, while aiming to stabilize adjusted gross margins around 80%. This optimistic outlook eased market concerns about a memory market downturn, propelling SanDisk shares to surge 13.67% on Thursday (13th), closing at $1,528.11 per share. Year-to-date, the stock has risen by 455%.

What’s Happening Before IPO? OpenAI Loses Two Top Executives Within Days

OpenAI’s leadership team is once again in turmoil. On Thursday (13th), the company announced that Denise Dresser, Chief Revenue Officer who joined only in December last year, will depart after less than a year to pursue other opportunities. She will be succeeded by Dali Rajic, President and COO of Wiz, a cybersecurity firm under Google’s parent Alphabet. This marks the second top-level executive departure at OpenAI within days, drawing particular attention as the company prepares for its initial public offering (IPO) amid intensifying competition in the enterprise market.