Daily Market Snapshot: August 13, 2026

Brought to you by your local Edward Jones financial advisors. Thursday 8/13/2026 Stocks continue to set record highs – U.S. equity markets moved higher on Thursday, with the S&P 500 hitting a new record high. This comes as both CPI and PPI inflation data for July came in somewhat cooler than expected. As a result, expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September have moved lower. According to CME FedWatch, the probability of the Fed raising rates at the September 16 FOMC meeting has fallen to about 34%, from around 55% last week. Bond yields are also moving lower, supportive of equity markets as well. The U.S. 2-year Treasury yield, which tends to be most sensitive to Fed rate expectations, moved lower by about 0.08%, from 4.2% to 4.12%. Overall, for the full year, the S&P 500 is now up about 14%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq is up by 15%. In our view, a combination of strong earnings growth and stable labor market and consumption trends continues to underpin stock market gains. Producer price index (PPI) inflation eases in July, in line with expectations – Headline PPI inflation rose 4.7% year-over-year in July, below expectations of 4.9% and well below last month's 5.5% reading. Core PPI inflation, excluding food and energy, was up 4.2%, slightly above forecasts of 4.1%, but still below last month's 4.7%. Overall, easing inflation on producer prices indicates that production and materials costs are more contained and could mean better final prices for consumers. Markets have welcomed this week the combination of better-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) inflation and PPI inflation for the month of July. Nonetheless, inflation remains elevated versus the Fed's 2.0% core inflation target. While inflation does not seem to be reaccelerating, which is a step in the right direction, investors will be monitoring one more set of inflation data in September, which we believe will be critical ahead of the September FOMC meeting. Investing at all-time highs can be fruitful – Reaching an all-time high can leave investors wondering whether it is still a good time to put money to work. While pullbacks can occur at any time, history suggests that new highs have not typically been poor entry points.* Average forward three-month returns have been slightly lower when investing at an all-time high, but the gap largely disappears over six months.* Over one-, three-, and five-year horizons, average returns have actually been higher following all-time highs than when investing on a typical trading day.* In our view, the lesson is that new highs often occur because fundamentals are improving, not because a market advance is ending. As a result, time in the market has historically mattered more than waiting for a perfect entry point. Important information: This is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as specific investment advice. Investors should make investment decisions based on their unique investment objectives and financial situation. While the information is believed to be accurate, it is not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice. Investors should understand the risks involved in owning investments, including interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk. The value of investments fluctuates and investors can lose some or all of their principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Market indexes are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly and are not meant to depict an actual investment. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Systematic investing does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Investors should consider their willingness to keep investing when share prices are declining. Dividends may be increased, decreased or eliminated at any time without notice. Special risks are inherent in international investing, including those related to currency fluctuations and foreign political and economic events. This section and content are designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this section are available exclusively through our U.S. financial advisors. Edward Jones' U.S. financial advisors may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.