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Good morning. This is TheStreet’s Stock Market Today for Aug. 21, 2025. The stock market is set to open in short order. You can follow along all day with today’s biggest updates here, on our daily live blog.
This morning, futures are trending to the downside after Walmart reported earnings. Before the bell, here’s what you to know this A.M:
Update: 8:30 a.m. ET
Data Drop: Jobless Claims Hot; Philly Fed Manufacturing Plummets
A few moments ago, we were treated to the first major economic data point of the day when Initial and Continuing Jobless Claims dropped. Both figures rose, indicating further labor market deterioration:
Initial Jobless Claims: 235,000 [Prev: 224,000] [Consensus: 225,000] Continuing Jobless Claims: 1.972 million [Prev: 1.942 million]
The Philadelphia Fed also released a slew of data points, including the heavily-watched Manufacturing Index, which declined significantly month-over-month. Here’s the print for those various data points:
Manufacturing Index -0.3 [Prev: 15.9] [Consensus: 7]Future CAPEX Index: 38.4 [Prev: 17.1]Employment: 5.9 [Prev: 10.3]New Orders: -1.9 [Prev: 18.4]Prices Paid: 66.8 [Prev: 58.8]
Taken together, these figures were okay, but held some disappointing realities about rising prices. The largest consolation is that companies polled by the Philly Fed are still expecting growth, with the future new orders index and shipments index rising to their highest points since May.
In response to the reports, stocks are now plummeting in futures trading. The Russell 2000 (-0.61%), the Dow (-0.42%), and the Nasdaq and S&P 500 (-0.35% each) are all declining in futures.
Update: 7:39 a.m. ET
Boeing in talks for China mega deal, Bloomberg reports
Boeing (BA) (+1.9% in premarket) is reportedly in talks to sell up to 500 aircraft to China, per Bloomberg. However, the deal is still in the works. A similar deal has been worked out in recent weeks between China and Airbus. More details will be added as they emerge.
Update: 7:31 a.m. ET
Earnings Today: Walmart, Zoom, Intuit
There are only 39 earnings reports today, per Nasdaq. Still, there are some heavyweights today. Walmart (WMT) (-2%) already reported this morning. It made some waves as the company missed its profit expectations for the first time in three years. Still, sales beat and guidance was raised.
Later today, we’ll also be getting earnings from software players like Zoom (ZM) , Intuit (INTU) , and Workday (WDAY) in after hours. Maybe that will make up for what we’ve seen this morning.
Here are the top ten reports coming down the line today:
Economic Data
Today, the Fed’s annual Jackson Hole symposium will kick off in Wyoming. It’ll also be a busy day for economic data. Here’s what investors will be keeping an eye on today, with forecasted figures provided by TradingEconomics.
(All times are in ET; all data is for August unless otherwise indicated.)
7:30 a.m.
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is set to deliver remarks
8:30 a.m.
Initial Jobless Claims (Wk of Aug. 16) [Prev: 224,000]4-week avg: 221,750Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index [Prev: 15.9] [Forecast: 9]Continuing Jobless Claims (Wk of Aug. 9) [Prev: 1.953 million]
9:45 a.m.
S&P Global Composite PMI [Prev: 55.1] [Forecast: 53]S&P Global Manufacturing PMI Flash [Prev: 49.8] [Forecast: 49.7]S&P Global Services PMI Flash [Prev: 55.7] [Forecast: 53]
10:00 a.m.
Existing Home Sales (Jul.) [Prev: 3.93 million] [Forecast: 3.9 million]Month-over-Month [Prev: -2.7%]CB Leading Index (Jul.)
Other Data Points of Note:
Philadelphia Fed CAPEX, Employment, New Orders, and Prices Paid at 8:30 a.m. EIA Natural Gas Stocks change at 10:30 a.m.4- and 8- week bill auction at 11:30 a.m. 15- and 30-year mortgage rate at 12:00 p.m.30-year TIPS auction at 1:00 p.m.Fed Balance Sheet out at 4:30 p.m.
