Analysis

Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened sharply lower, with the KOSPI Index plunging 5% and the Nikkei 225 falling over 2%. SK Hynix led the decline with a drop of more than 9%, while Samsung Electronics, Kioxia, and SoftBank also followed the downward trend.

TradingKey - US inflation data continued to cool, boosting market expectations that the Federal Reserve will not need to raise interest rates significantly this year. The three major US stock indices all finished higher as mega-cap tech stocks strengthened, though chip and memory stocks faced a market sell-off. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.29% to 52,658.64 points; the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.62% to 26,269.23 points; and the S&P 500 Index climbed 0.38% to 7,572.40 points.

Tradingkey - Apple (AAPL) shares hit a new all-time high, reaching a peak of $328.53. As of publication, the stock was up 4.16% at $327.97. Reportedly, Apple has cleared a critical regulatory hurdle regarding AI compliance in China. On July 15, the Cyberspace Administration of China released its latest list of filings for on-device generative AI services, with seven AI products approved, including "Apple Intelligence."

TradingKey - According to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, Anthropic is moving forward with preparations for a mega IPO, with a potential listing as early as this October. Lead investment banks for the offering have begun arranging investor meetings for the coming weeks, and the company has previously submitted a confidential IPO filing.

TradingKey - On July 15, Eastern Time, Intel (INTC) shares are approaching the $100 mark; as of press time, the stock was down 5.55% at $101.78. On the news front, Intel has made significant progress in its next-generation process technologies, including 18A and 14A. The yield for Intel's 18A process has increased from 65% in the previous quarter to 85%, second only to the 90% yield of TSMC’s N2 process. However, a research report from BofA Securities shows that although server CPU demand remains strong in 2026, Intel's market share is expected to drop from 41% to 24% amid a new round of competition in the server CPU market.

TradingKey - Stripe and Advent International offered $60.50 per share for PayPal on July 15, valuing it at over $53 billion. PYPL surged 21% to $57. The bid price is $60.50, with $61.66 as the technical target. PayPal’s board has not accepted. Here’s what traders need to know.

Tradingkey - On July 15, Eastern Time, Microsoft (MSFT) shares saw a strong rebound in early trading. As of press time, the stock rose 3.2% to $397.26, approaching the $400 milestone. Microsoft and 3M (MMM) have announced a strategic partnership focusing on artificial intelligence data center infrastructure and enterprise transformation. According to the statement, Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and AI infrastructure will be the first hyperscale cloud provider to deploy 3M's Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) technology. 3M will also leverage Microsoft's AI and digital platforms to drive enterprise transformation across its key business functions.

TradingKey - On July 15, ET, New York Fed President John Williams stated while speaking to local business leaders in New York State that he sees multiple signs indicating inflation has peaked. Consequently, the central bank will keep interest rates unchanged despite market expectations for rate hikes in the coming months.

TradingKey - TSMC reports Q2 2026 earnings tomorrow, July 16. June revenue surged 68% year-on-year. Consensus: $40B revenue, $3.83 EPS. At $426 on trendline support, the key question is whether tomorrow’s print triggers a move back toward $438.

TradingKey - BlackRock (BLK), the world's largest asset manager, reported its second-quarter 2026 financial results, exceeding market expectations across several core metrics, including assets under management (AUM), revenue, earnings, and fund inflows.

TradingKey - On July 15 ET, data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) for June rose 5.5% year-on-year, lower than the market expectation of 6.2% and the previous value of 6.5%. On a month-on-month basis, the June PPI fell 0.3%, compared to market expectations for it to remain flat and a previous increase of 1.1%. Core PPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 4.7% year-on-year, lower than the expected 5.1% and the previous 4.9%. Core PPI rose 0.2% month-on-month, below the expected 0.3% and the previous 0.4%.

TradingKey - IBM fell 25% on Tuesday — its worst day since 1968 — after Q2 revenue of $17.2B missed estimates by $700M. Customers shifted budgets to AI hardware instead of IBM software. At $219, here’s where the floor is and what July 22 earnings mean.

TradingKey - On July 15 Eastern Time, the three major US stock index futures edged higher in pre-market trading, as the market sustained the optimism following yesterday’s cooler-than-expected CPI data. As of press time, Nasdaq 100 Index futures rose 0.44%, S&P 500 Index futures gained 0.13%, and Dow Jones Index futures edged up 0.01%.

TradingKey - Morgan Stanley reports Q2 2026 at 7:30 AM ET today. Prediction markets price a 93% probability of an EPS beat. Options imply a ±5.4% move. At $231 after breaking $228 resistance, here’s what to watch and what the chart says.

TradingKey - Global healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) released its second-quarter 2026 earnings report on Wednesday local time. Both revenue and earnings exceeded market expectations, and management further raised its full-year guidance. However, the company's shares fell more than 2% in pre-market trading following the announcement.

TradingKey - On July 15 ET, an announcement from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) revealed that "Apple Intelligence" has passed the generative AI service filing. Alibaba (BABA) subsequently confirmed that Tongyi Qianwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence as an AI capability, providing services for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS users in China. Boosted by the news, Alibaba's US-listed shares rose more than 6% at one point in pre-market trading to $119.3, compared to the previous session's closing price of $112.32. As of publication, Alibaba's pre-market gain stood at 4.32%.

TradingKey - Global foundry leader TSMC (TSM) will release its second-quarter 2026 earnings results on July 16. As one of the most critical manufacturing links in the current AI supply chain, TSMC's financial performance is no longer viewed as just the operating data of a single company, but is instead regarded by the market as a vital reference indicator for gauging global AI infrastructure investment sentiment, semiconductor cycle shifts, and the valuation logic for technology stocks.

TradingKey - On July 14, ET, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that payments processor Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have jointly submitted a takeover bid to PayPal (PYPL) at $60.50 per share, valuing the payments pioneer at over $53 billion. Boosted by the news, PayPal shares surged in pre-market trading on July 15, rising more than 15% as of press time.

SpaceX shares have declined for three consecutive sessions, approaching $135. If this level fails to hold, the stock could potentially fall by more than 25%.

TradingKey - Intel (INTC) has reported positive progress in its foundry business. KeyBanc Capital Markets released a report stating that the yield for Intel's 18A advanced process node has increased from approximately 65% in the previous quarter to over 85%, signifying significant improvements in production stability and cost control capabilities.