Day Trade Cheat Sheet - August 11, 2026 (Morning)

 ## MARKET MOOD: MIXED U.S. stock futures show cautious tone amid fading hopes for a U.S.-Iran deal and mixed corporate earnings. Oil prices are elevated on Middle East tensions, while AI-related optimism supports select tech names. ## TOP 5 HEADLINES 1. Riot Platforms surges 20% pre-market on $9.1B Anthropic cloud deal → Impact: Strong AI infrastructure demand boosts crypto miner and cloud service provider. 2. Boeing upgraded to Buy by Argus with $265 price target → Impact: Positive analyst sentiment on production progress lifts aerospace sector. 3. OppFi misses Q2 earnings and cuts FY26 guidance → Impact: Weak fintech earnings pressure shares and weigh on financials. 4. Intel upsizes stock offering to $20B to fund AI build-out → Impact: Dilution concerns hit shares despite long-term AI growth plans. 5. Nvidia taps Wall Street for $500B AI infrastructure financing → Impact: Reinforces Nvidia’s leadership in AI, supporting chip sector momentum. ## PRE-MARKET MOVERS ### Longs (Bullish Catalysts) **$RIOT** - Signed $9.1B AI cloud deal with Anthropic, strong Q2 sales beat **$BA** - Argus upgrades to Buy with $265 target, production progress noted **$QMCO** - Shares up 15.4% on strong Q1 earnings and market value growth **$NIQ** - Price target raised on AI growth prospects **$AMD** - Maintained rating on robust AI chip demand outlook ### Shorts (Bearish Catalysts) **$OPFI** - Missed Q2 earnings, cut FY26 guidance **$RKLB** - Rocket Lab shares down on widened losses despite revenue growth **$INTC** - Shares pressured after $20B stock raise announcement **$ONON** - Missed quarterly sales view, shares falling **$HIMS** - Wider quarterly loss due to branded obesity drug investments ## INDEX BIAS **SPY:** NEUTRAL - Mixed earnings and geopolitical risks keep S&P rangebound ahead of inflation data. **QQQ:** BULLISH - AI-driven tech names like **$RIOT**, **$AMD**, and **$NIQ** show strength despite some headwinds. **IWM:** BEARISH - Small caps pressured by weaker fintech and discretionary earnings misses. ## SECTORS **Favor:** Technology – AI infrastructure deals and chip demand underpin selective tech rallies. **Avoid:** Financials – Earnings misses and guidance cuts in fintech weigh on sector sentiment. ## CATALYST WATCH - 08:30 ET: U.S. CPI inflation data release – key for Fed rate expectations - 10:00 ET: Retail sales report – gauges consumer spending strength - 13:00 ET: Earnings from major tech and industrial companies (watch for surprises) ## BOTTOM LINE **Today's Play:** Selective Markets face a tug-of-war between AI optimism and geopolitical uncertainty. The standout opportunity lies in AI infrastructure plays like **$RIOT** and chipmakers benefiting from Nvidia’s massive financing push. However, dilution concerns around **$INTC** and earnings misses in fintech warrant caution. Traders should focus on high-conviction tech longs while avoiding beaten-down financials and speculative small caps. Inflation data will be the next major directional trigger.