Chips are pulling the tape in two directions ahead of Monday's open: Nasdaq-100 futures lead on strength in AI names, while the Dow lags — and a surprisingly strong New York factory read has quietly reset the growth picture heading into a quiet, retail-earnings-heavy week.

US futures now

As reported by Yahoo Finance (updated ~8:44 AM ET): S&P 500 futures (ES=F) 7,816.00, +0.14%; Nasdaq-100 futures (NQ=F) 30,287.50, +0.48%; Dow futures (YM=F) 53,727.00, −0.15%; Russell 2000 futures 3,071.10, −0.12%. The VIX ticked up to 14.97 (+5.05%). The single biggest overnight driver is a firmer chip/tech tone lifting the Nasdaq, set against a cautious Dow as traders wait on big-box retail results and Wednesday's Fed minutes.

Pre-market movers

• AMD — extending Friday's ~6% surge after pricing a $4.75B bond offering to fund AI/data-center expansion and guiding server revenue up 80%+ in H2 2026, plus gigawatt commitments tied to OpenAI, Meta and Anthropic (TipRanks).
• Broadcom (AVGO) — roughly flat to slightly higher pre-market (~$396.73) after falling more than 5% Friday on worries about the debt financing its AI buildout; BofA flagged the chip-financing vehicle could carry ~$370B in senior debt by 2029 (Benzinga).
• Micron (MU) — firm alongside the memory/AI complex (Yahoo Finance trending).

Earnings today

Fabrinet (FN) reports after the close (~4:15 PM ET) — a bellwether for 800G optical transceivers, with analysts modeling ~$1.28B revenue and $3.81 EPS; options imply a move of ~12% (Investing.com). It kicks off a retail-heavy week: Home Depot (Tue), Target & Lowe's (Wed) and Walmart (Thu).

Macro today

A light data day, but not empty. The NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (8:30 AM ET) already surged to 20.6 in August — its highest since 2022 and nearly double the ~11 consensus, up from 15.6 (CoinDesk). Still due: the NAHB Housing Market Index (10:00 AM ET, est. 35.0 vs 34.0 prior) — a builder-sentiment gauge where sub-50 signals a soft outlook — and June TIC net long-term flows (4:00 PM ET), a read on foreign appetite for US assets. Traders have trimmed the odds of a September Fed move to under one-third ahead of Jackson Hole; Wednesday's FOMC minutes are the week's macro highlight (Yahoo Finance).

Rates, dollar & commodities

The US 10-year Treasury yield sits near 4.69% after rising ~5bp late last week; the dollar index (DXY) is around 99.6 (Trading Economics). Brent crude is near $88/bbl and WTI around $82 as the US steps up economic pressure over the Strait of Hormuz; gold is firm at $4,451.90 (+0.33%, Yahoo Finance).

What to watch at the open

Watch whether the chip divergence — AMD's momentum versus Broadcom's AI-debt overhang — sets the tone for the Nasdaq, or whether a hot Empire State print nudges yields higher and caps the rally. The NAHB print at 10:00 ET is the next catalyst, and with retail earnings and Jackson Hole ahead, positioning may stay cautious.

As of 9:10 AM ET, Aug 17, 2026. Sources: Yahoo Finance, Benzinga, TipRanks, CoinDesk/Crypto Briefing, Investing.com, Trading Economics. Automated US market brief for discussion and education only — not investment advice. Verify before acting.