Track the evolution of major financial and economic events
TAL Education Group reported a significant 31.9% increase in net revenues to $758.4 million for the first fiscal quarter, up from $575.0 million in the prior year. The company achieved a net income of $408.0 million during this period. Additionally, TAL Education extended its share repurchase program by an additional 12 months. This extension authorizes the company to conduct buybacks of up to $393.7 million in shares.
Microsoft shares rose 8% in premarket trading on July 30 after its cloud unit recorded its fastest growth in four years. During this period, Bitcoin stabilized near the $64,000 mark as market risk sentiment improved. By July 31, both Microsoft and Amazon became top weekly gainers on the Nasdaq following the release of robust earnings reports.
On July 30, Lam Research Corporation and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. held their earnings calls to discuss financial and operational performance. Lam Research reviewed its results for the fourth quarter of 2026, while Samsung Electronics reported its second-quarter 2026 earnings. These calls highlighted the recent performance and strategic outcomes for both major players in the semiconductor industry.
Inficon raised its 2026 financial guidance on July 30, driven by strong demand momentum in the semiconductor sector. On August 5, Bed Bath & Beyond announced Q3 revenue expectations between $505M and $525M, a 30% gross margin target, and a planned transition to the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker NXH. Additionally, SBM Offshore increased its 2026 guidance on August 6 following a robust performance in the first half of the year.
On July 30, several global technology and materials firms released their quarterly earnings reports. Arm Holdings announced its results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, and Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) reported its third-quarter 2026 earnings. Additionally, Centerra Gold, C.H. Robinson, and McGrath RentCorp published their financial results for the second quarter of 2026.
Fortuna Mining has approved a 30% capacity expansion at the Séguéla gold mine in Côte d'Ivoire, supporting its goal to reach an annual production of 500,000 ounces by 2028. Meanwhile, Equinox Gold and Orla Mining completed a business combination to create a senior gold producer with an expected annual output of 1.1 million ounces. Additionally, Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Newmont, acquired four exploration projects from Ridgeline Minerals for a total of US$23.15 million.
Agnico Eagle reported record quarterly free cash flow in Q2 2026, supported by solid operational performance. Production levels exceeded initial plans, while disciplined cost control measures contributed to strong profit margins. Consequently, the company achieved record quarterly returns for its shareholders during this period.
Align Technology reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2026 on July 29. The company's total revenues reached $1,056.2 million during this period. This figure represents a 4.3% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
Microsoft achieved its 14th consecutive double beat on earnings and revenue during the fourth quarter, driven by a 27% surge in cloud revenue. The company reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $4.74 and total revenue of $90 billion. These results exceeded analyst expectations across all key metrics.
Meta Platforms reported mixed financial results for the second quarter of 2026 on July 29 after the market close. The company raised the lower end of its capital expenditure (CapEx) guidance range, which weighed on investor sentiment. Consequently, Meta shares moved lower in after-hours trading following the official release of the financial report.
Carvana reported record second-quarter results, posting an adjusted EBITDA of $769 million which slightly exceeded consensus estimates. The company also updated its full-year 2026 guidance, projecting adjusted earnings between $2.7 billion and $3 billion. However, shares fell approximately 8% in premarket trading as the midpoint of this outlook trailed the Bloomberg consensus estimate of $2.99 billion.
ADP reported 7% revenue growth and a 17% increase in adjusted EPS for its fiscal fourth quarter. Biogen generated $2.7 billion in Q2 revenue, driven by growth products and the acquisition of Apellis. Flex achieved 21% revenue growth and remains on track to spin off its Cloud and Power Infrastructure business in 2027. These strong earnings results have bolstered sentiment across the services and technology sectors.
In late July, major US companies across the logistics, consumer goods, and finance sectors reported second-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst estimates. Old Dominion Freight Line, Procter & Gamble, and SoFi Technologies all posted higher-than-expected earnings per share. Specifically, Old Dominion saw its revenue rise 10.4% to $1.55 billion and profit jump 30.5% to $350.6 million. Following these strong results, the logistics firm increased its 2026 capital spending budget to $380 million to fund further expansion.
US mid-cap companies, including Masco and Bandwidth, raised their full-year earnings guidance despite mixed market signals. Masco achieved higher earnings and margins through strategic pricing and tariff refunds, which helped offset weak sales and demand. Bandwidth reported strong revenue growth driven by AI-enabled communications demand, while Lemonade reaffirmed its path to positive adjusted EBITDA by late 2026. These updates reflect a broader trend of operational improvements helping firms navigate persistent demand challenges.
WEC Energy reported mixed Q2 2026 results, with earnings per share of $0.91 beating estimates despite a revenue miss, driven by rate base growth and infrastructure gains. Verisk Analytics exceeded both revenue and earnings expectations while providing full-year 2026 guidance. Additionally, Exelon met earnings estimates as its revenue rose 10% following utility rate increases.
Amphenol reported record second-quarter sales with a 55% increase, fueled by exceptional organic growth in the IT datacom market. Meanwhile, CBIZ's net income dropped by 55.6% to $19 million for the second quarter of 2026. Additionally, Viasat scheduled the release of its first-quarter fiscal year 2027 financial results for August 4, 2026.
SoFi Technologies raised its 2026 revenue guidance following record member growth and loan originations in the second quarter. The company reported 40-41% year-over-year revenue growth, marking its 11th consecutive profitable quarter. Fee-based revenue now accounts for 39% of total revenue, reinforcing its 'everything app' strategy. Despite the strong performance, SoFi issued conservative guidance for the remainder of the year, anticipating potential Federal Reserve rate hikes.
VF Corporation reported first quarter fiscal 2027 results that exceeded its previous guidance, leading the company to raise its full-year revenue outlook. Additionally, Valero Energy reported a significant Q2 net income of $3.7 billion, up from $714 million the previous year. Vertiv also raised its 2026 outlook driven by robust demand for data center infrastructure.
Between July 29 and 30, 2026, several major companies reported their second-quarter financial results, highlighted by Avantor exceeding expectations with $1,692.3 million in sales and raising its full-year guidance. Conversely, ArcBest reported a net loss of $13.8 million despite generating $1.2 billion in revenue. Additionally, BMY, VRT, and EME all beat earnings estimates, with BMY and VRT raising their financial outlooks, while EME achieved record revenues and a record backlog driven by broad-based growth.
Major corporations reported strong earnings for the first half of 2026, led by UBS Group and Reckitt Benckiser. UBS posted a Q2 net profit of $2.8 billion, driven by growth in wealth management and investment banking, and announced a $3 billion share buyback program. Reckitt reported accelerating sales growth, while The Weir Group saw increased orders fueled by mining activity in copper and gold. Despite the positive results, Morgan Stanley maintained an 'Underweight' rating on UBS while raising its price target to CHF 40.
BASF reported a sharp rise in second-quarter earnings, driven by higher prices and volume growth. Following these strong quarterly results, the chemical group raised its full-year EBITDA outlook. Additionally, Befesa reported an 11% increase in its first-half adjusted EBITDA, reaching €124 million.
Procter & Gamble and Ford exceeded earnings expectations, while Mondelez raised its financial guidance following strong performance. Despite these results, U.S. stock futures traded lower as investors awaited earnings from major firms like Microsoft. Additionally, PPG Industries reported its sixth consecutive quarter of organic growth, and PennyMac Financial Services posted a $22 million net income amid interest-rate volatility. Finally, P&G reported results within its guidance and returned over $15 billion to its shareholders.
Investors are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve as they await the latest policy statement. Significant attention is focused on the guidance expected from Chair Kevin Warsh on July 29. The market remains braced for these key updates regarding monetary policy.
SK Hynix achieved a record 557% surge in Q2 profits fueled by AI memory chip demand, yet failed to meet analyst expectations for revenue and profit. The company's stock initially cratered following the announcement of a $31 billion capital expenditure plan. By July 31, shares rebounded significantly, surging over 20% alongside a rally in U.S. tech stocks and the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX).
