TL;DR

Trump pushes Ukraine peace talks; Intel jumps on $2B SoftBank stake; Powell, retail earnings eyed.

Highlights

• Trump paused White House Ukraine talks to call Putin; working to arrange a direct Putin-Zelensky meeting and possible trilateral summit, with European and NATO leaders present 13.
• Ukraine proposed a $100B US arms purchase (funded by Europe) for American security guarantees post-peace deal, plus a $50B US-Ukraine drone partnership; Kyiv rejects territorial concessions 2.
• Zelensky abruptly left Washington, canceling a Fox News interview, raising questions about Western support and upcoming aid votes 10.
• Wall Street ended flat as investors await Powell’s Jackson Hole speech and key retail earnings; 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.34% 12.
• SoftBank invested $2B for a 2% stake in Intel , citing confidence in US chip manufacturing; Intel shares rose 4% after hours 5.
• Palo Alto Networks beat Q4 estimates, raised guidance, and announced founder’s retirement; shares gained 6% post-market 6.
• Salesforce acquired AI automation firm Regrello; deal will not impact FY26 guidance 8.
• Nvidia announced GeForce Now upgrades with RTX 5080 GPUs, expanding cloud gaming performance and device support 15.
• Chamath Palihapitiya filed for a $250M SPAC (AEXA) targeting AI, energy, and defense 9.
• Faraday Future launched a $1B crypto treasury; Blink Charging beat revenue estimates but widened Q2 loss, sending shares lower 13.
• VanEck reaffirmed its year-end Bitcoin target of $180,000 despite recent volatility 14.
• North Korea condemned US-South Korea military drills, pledging faster nuclear buildup 4.

Commentary

Geopolitical risk remains in focus as Trump’s direct outreach to Putin and Zelensky, with European leaders at the table, opens the door to potential progress on Ukraine 13. Ukraine’s $100B US arms proposal—funded by Europe in exchange for formal US security guarantees—signals a shift toward transactional security arrangements, but Zelensky’s abrupt departure from Washington injects uncertainty into the process 210. Traders should monitor headlines for developments on cease-fire negotiations and Western aid, as these could affect defense, energy, and select European equities.

US equity markets closed little changed, reflecting caution ahead of Powell’s Jackson Hole remarks and a heavy week for retail earnings 12. The uptick in 10-year Treasury yields suggests market sensitivity to any Fed policy shift or signs of consumer weakness 12. Walmart, Home Depot, and Target earnings will be key for gauging consumer resilience and inflation trends, with potential implications for both equities and the dollar 12.

Tech outperformed after hours, led by Intel ’s 4% gain on SoftBank’s $2B investment and Palo Alto Networks ’ 6% jump on strong results and guidance 56. Salesforce ’s Regrello acquisition and Nvidia ’s GeForce Now upgrade highlight ongoing momentum in AI, automation, and cloud infrastructure 815. Watch for continued sector rotation into semiconductors, cybersecurity, and AI-related names.

In crypto and alternative assets, Faraday Future ’s $1B crypto treasury launch and VanEck’s reiterated $180,000 Bitcoin target show persistent institutional interest, though regulatory and macro headwinds remain 1314. SPAC activity picked up with Palihapitiya’s new AEXA filing, but investor appetite for blank-check deals is still tentative 9.