Financial Daily News — 2026-08-18
AI infrastructure financing remained the dominant technology theme, while softer U.S. trade-price data and a mixed earnings slate added macro and company-specific catalysts.
News
Nvidia guarantees up to $105 billion for OpenAI’s Ohio data-center project
OpenAI announced a 20-year lease for an Ohio data center being developed by SB Energy. Nvidia will exclusively supply the site’s chips and guarantee up to $105 billion in conditional lease and power-payment obligations; initial capacity is expected to become available in 2028. **Why it matters:** Nvidia is taking on financing and infrastructure risk beyond chip sales, intensifying scrutiny of supplier-backed AI demand and potential circular-financing exposure.
Google wins $10 million auction for Spirit Airlines’ internal corporate data
Google won a bankruptcy auction for Spirit Airlines’ emails, chats, calendars, documents, spreadsheets and operational records, agreeing to pay $10 million. Customer and payment information was reportedly excluded. **Why it matters:** The transaction may help establish a market for proprietary corporate records as training and product-development assets for enterprise AI.
U.S. import and export prices fall in July
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that U.S. import prices fell 0.4% in July after declining 0.3% in June, while export prices fell 1.3% after a 0.7% June decline. Over the year, import prices rose 5.9% and export prices increased 8.2%. **Why it matters:** Lower monthly trade prices, particularly the 7.2% decline in fuel-import prices, may ease near-term inflation pressure even though year-over-year price growth remains elevated.
Bitcoin holds near $64,000 as yields and oil pressure risk assets
Bitcoin traded around $64,000 after rising from $62,600 on Monday, while Ether fell about 1% since midnight UTC. CoinDesk linked the pullback in crypto and Nasdaq 100 futures to higher Treasury yields and Brent crude near $94 per barrel. **Why it matters:** Bitcoin’s near-term direction remains tied to macro liquidity, bond yields and energy-driven inflation concerns rather than a standalone crypto catalyst.
SEC proposes crypto-offering exemptions with $5 million and $75 million tracks
The SEC proposed a crypto regulatory framework that includes a startup offering pathway of up to $5 million over four years and a more restrictive pathway allowing offerings of up to $75 million in a one-year period. The agency opened a 60-day public-comment period. **Why it matters:** The proposal could reduce fundraising uncertainty for digital-asset issuers, although its eventual impact depends on the final rule and congressional market-structure legislation.
Earnings
Home Depot beats fiscal Q2 estimates but keeps guidance unchanged
**Home Depot (NYSE: HD)** reported revenue of $47.86 billion versus a $47.24 billion FactSet consensus estimate and adjusted EPS of $4.92 versus $4.73 expected. The company maintained fiscal 2026 sales-growth guidance of 2.5% to 4.5% and said comparable sales should be flat to up 2%. **Why it matters:** Smaller home-improvement projects are supporting sales, but unchanged guidance and weaker large-ticket demand indicate that high borrowing costs continue to constrain the housing-sensitive business.
Keysight posts a Q3 earnings and revenue beat
**Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS)** reported EPS of $3.07 versus an estimated $2.42 and revenue of $1.85 billion versus an estimated $1.75 billion, according to the Aug. 18 earnings calendar. **Why it matters:** The double beat points to continued demand for electronic-design, measurement and testing equipment across communications and technology markets.
Mercury Systems exceeds Q4 EPS and revenue estimates
**Mercury Systems (Nasdaq: MRCY)** reported fourth-quarter EPS of $0.37 versus an estimated $0.35 and revenue of $289.78 million versus an estimated $266.12 million. **Why it matters:** The beat provides a positive data point for defense-electronics demand and embedded computing exposure.
Pony AI beats revenue and adjusted EPS expectations
**Pony AI (Nasdaq: PONY)** reported second-quarter EPS of negative $0.10 versus an estimated negative $0.17 and revenue of $36.22 million versus an estimated $35.18 million. **Why it matters:** The result gives investors a current read on commercialization progress for autonomous-driving and robotaxi technology.
Baidu misses Q2 revenue expectations despite an EPS beat
**Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU)** reported EPS of $1.06 versus an estimated $1.35 and revenue of $4.62 billion versus an estimated $4.65 billion. Benzinga also reported that the company’s AI-cloud business grew 50% while advertising weakened. **Why it matters:** Baidu’s results highlight the trade-off between accelerating AI infrastructure growth and pressure on its legacy advertising business.
Sources
- axios.com (as of 2026-08-17)
- axios.com (as of 2026-08-17)
- bls.gov (as of 2026-08-18)
- coindesk.com (as of 2026-08-18)
- coindesk.com (as of 2026-08-18)
- apnews.com (as of 2026-08-18)
- benzinga.com (as of 2026-08-18)