Nvidia, CrowdStrike buoy stocks; Warsh to speak

27. Aug 2026

(AWP Alliance News) - Shares climbed higher in New York on Thursday following strong earnings from Nvidia and CrowdStrike, as investors await a tone-setting speech from Federal Reserve Chief Kevin Warsh on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 105.56 points, 0.2%, at 53,569.44. The S&P 500 rose 55.29 points, 0.7%, to 7,730.99. The Nasdaq Composite ended up 411.15 points, 1.6%, at 26,541.35.

"Nvidia's solid earnings last night have reignited the AI trade, pushing the Nasdaq 100 back towards yesterday's highs. Tech stocks are back in favour, while everything else has been unceremoniously dumped as risk appetite wanes before Kevin Warsh's Jackson Hole speech and the end of the month," wrote IG Chief Market Analyst Chris Beauchamp.

Late Wednesday, chipmaker Nvidia said revenue more than doubled to a record USD96.22 billion from USD46.74 billion, smashing past USD92.01 billion Visible Alpha consensus. Non-GAAP EPS grew to USD2.22 from USD1.87, ahead of USD2.05 consensus. Gross margin improved to 75.0% from 72.4% a year ago, ahead of 74.2% consensus.

The report sent shares 8.7% higher on Thursday.

"We've got a huge year coming up next year and it's going to be pretty extraordinary," Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang told analysts on the earnings call.

Nvidia expects to grow revenue by 70% in financial 2028, which runs to January of that year. Analysts had pencilled in 45% growth.

For its part, CrowdStrike leapt 21% after it reported what CEO George Kurtz called "the best quarter" in its history.

The cybersecurity firm said second quarter revenue climbed 26% to USD1.47 billion from USD1.17 billion the year before, ahead of the USD1.44 billion LSEG consensus. Adjusted earnings per share of USD0.31 beat the USD0.29 consenus.

Annual recurring revenue jumped 25% year-on-year to USD5.84 billion.

It now expects annual revenue of USD5.99 billion to USD6.01 billion and adjusted earnings per share between USD1.25 and USD1.26, topping the USD5.93 billion revenue and USD1.23 EPS analyst estimates, according to CNBC.

On Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will address the annual central bank conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The speech comes as markets weigh persistent inflation pressures and growing debt concerns that have pushed bond yields to multi-year highs.

Sentiment "looks set to become more cautious as investors refocus on worries about inflation proving sticky, huge government debt piles and the prospect of interest rates lingering at elevated levels," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Beth Hammack repeated her call for higher interest rates on Thursday, saying recent inflation data show the central bank is still too far from its goal.

"I don't want to prejudge anything. But I believe now is the time to act," she said in a CNBC interview from the conference.

Markets continue to expect the Fed to hold rates at their current 3.50-3.75% range next month, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 4.67% on Thursday from 4.65% on Wednesday. The 30-year yield was at 5.19%, up from 5.17%.

Against the dollar, the euro was at USD1.1648, down from USD1.1653. Sterling fell to USD1.3587 from USD1.3593. Against the yen, the dollar was at JPY159.42, up from JPY159.35.

Gold rose to USD4,606.88 an ounce from USD4,594.25 on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was open to sanctioning Chinese banks over their links to Iran, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said the US would "collapse" the Iranian government by economic means.

"Who said I'm not?" Trump said when asked if he would target Beijing's financial institutions. "I mean, who said I'm not? You don't know if I'm doing it. Well, I don't have to announce everything, do I?"

A barrel of Brent fetched USD88.84 on Thursday, up from USD87.51 on Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate rose to USD84.19 from USD81.99.

Qatar's Foreign Minister attended talks in Tehran on Thursday regarding the Strait of Hormuz, though few details were announced. The talks follow a week of diplomacy between the Qatari minister and Oman's top diplomat and separate talks with senior Pakistani officials.

Back on Wall Street, Nike on Thursday named Jane Ewing its next finance chief, effective September 7.

"Jane is a proven leader, bringing more than two decades of global leadership experience across retail, consumer goods, operations, sustainability and people management," according to Elliott Hill, president and chief executive of Nike.

Ewing most recently worked at Walmart, where she served as interim chief executive for Sam's Club China.

Nike closed down 0.4%.

Unilever is putting mustard brand Colman's up for sale, to clear the way for a USD48 billion deal with US condiments brand McCormick, Sky News reported on Thursday.

Back in March, Unilever said it planned separate its Foods business and combine it with McCormick in a deal valuing the business at USD44.8 billion.

Unilever and its shareholders are set to receive shares representing 65% of the combined company, alongside USD15.7 billion in cash. Unilever will retain a 9.9% stake, which it intends to sell over time.

McCormick closed down 1.0%.

AbbVie on Thursday said it has submitted a European regulatory application for its Skyrizi drug to treat adults with Crohn's disease.

"As treatment goals in Crohn's disease continue to evolve, it is important to provide therapies that can deliver meaningful outcomes from the earliest stages of treatment through long-term disease management," Chief Scientific Officer Roopal Thakkar said

AbbVie closed down 1.8%.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 ended down 0.8%. The DAX 40 rose 0.3% in Frankfurt. The CAC 40 in Paris shed 1.7%.

In China, the Shanghai Composite closed up 1.1%. The Hang Seng lost 0.3% in Hong Kong. The Nikkei 225 fell 0.2% in Tokyo. The S&P/ASX 200 ended down 1.1%.

Friday's corporate calendar has third quarter Amphenol results.

The global economic calendar has the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index

By Aidan Lane, Alliance News reporter

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