Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have halted operations at key Russian Black Sea grain terminals, disrupting one of Moscow's main export hubs. The attacks come despite recent warnings from Vice President JD Vance and add fresh geopolitical tension to global food supply chains. Stock futures are little changed as traders await tomorrow's producer price index report after a soft CPI reading that pushed back expectations for a September Fed rate hike. In Asian markets the Nikkei finished near 67,524. Oil is trading at $82.74 a barrel. Gold hit $4,467 an ounce. Bitcoin sits at $63,348. And finally one of a UK zoo's newest lion cubs has been spotted taking its first steps. The triplets are the first African lions born at the facility in a decade and keepers say proud parents Hira and Khari are doing well.

Condor Studio News · 7:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Middle East oil supply faces a longer-term hit. The EIA now projects 600,000 barrels per day will remain offline through the end of 2027 even as most regional production returns toward pre-conflict levels. The agency has raised its third-quarter Brent forecast by $11 to around $85 a barrel after assuming the Strait of Hormuz stays constrained through August. Oil is up slightly at $82.67. Gold is down 0.2% at $4,459 an ounce. Bitcoin trades at $63,361 and Ether is the biggest mover, off 0.3%. The Trump administration is weighing new accountability rules on artificial intelligence development as regulators clash with major tech companies over watermarking tools. Some Claude users are already complaining the new safeguards could catch them cheating at work or in class. And finally, almost a year after little Gus Lamont vanished without a trace, police still will not say whether a suspect has been identified.

Condor Studio News · 6:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Investors are chasing the latest rally in gold as the yellow metal hits its strongest level in two months. Goldman Sachs' acquisition of Neos Investments highlights how so-called boomer candy ETFs have become big business on Wall Street. Cisco shares dropped after hours despite beating earnings and revenue estimates on the back of an AI supercycle with hyperscalers placing billions in infrastructure orders. Chip stocks are closing in on a bull market but some analysts remain nervous about whether those AI backlogs will actually convert. A U.S. military helicopter crash in Texas killed two people, sparked a massive wildfire, and forced evacuations south of Salado near Fort Hood. And in a remarkable human turn, emergency workers pulled a 32-year-old woman alive from beneath slabs of concrete 36 hours after a quake in Colombia.

Condor Studio News · 5:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Tame consumer inflation data pushed the S&P 500 higher to close at 7,748.50 as the Nasdaq outperformed on renewed AI enthusiasm. Headline CPI came in at 3.4% year-over-year while core held at 2.5%, both slightly softer than June and exactly in line with forecasts. The print lifts the odds the Fed will hold rates steady at its next meeting to roughly 60%. Tech infrastructure names led the charge with CoreWeave and Super Micro Computer each surging 19% after strong quarterly results that reassured investors demand for AI computing remains robust. Goldman Sachs reiterated buy ratings across the data center complex including Dell, HPE and NetApp. The VIX finished the session at 14.55. Oil eased to $82.62 while gold held near $4,468 an ounce. Bitcoin traded near $63,460. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her post but will remain an outside adviser to President Trump. In Australia lawmakers are set to pass new rules forcing tech giants to pay for news content. And finally a controversial Utah-based group founded by activist Tim Ballard has won a $158 million government contract to represent unaccompanied immigrant children.

Condor Studio News · 4:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Picture the S&P closing the session at seven thousand seven hundred forty eight point five on a Wednesday afternoon with volatility sitting at fourteen point four four. That is the tape we just printed. Most listeners watch the index level the way you watch rain on a windshield. Fear Wave is the private radar that scans the full options surface for call side water and put side pressure before the price board tells the full story. Today that radar showed Clear Skies across the three looks. The surface stayed orderly with no heavy call side buildup after the tame consumer inflation report. We filed the Conservative tier, the Balanced tier, and the Aggressive tier all under standard wing widths. That is the decision the radar supported. The tame print kept real pressure on the surface from building even while deficits remain elevated in the background. If you have been listening, we have said for weeks that sticky federal borrowing keeps the cost of capital from collapsing cleanly. Today's session showed that pressure did not translate into a call side storm front. The market respected the range but did not fight the tape on the upside either. Institutions appear content to let the surface breathe rather than push water into the calls. That is why all three risk tiers cleared the gates. We take the position when the radar says the weather allows it and we stay on the ground when it does not. Clear Skies means the three tier stance stays intact. Tomorrow we watch the first sweep after the open for any fresh tilt. If the surface remains calm we stay in the same posture. If water starts to collect on the call side we will tighten back to the Conservative flight only

That's the read from Nashville for Wednesday, August 12, 2026. I'm Russell Clark, and we'll see you at the next session. Trade the plan, not the noise.

President Trump says Karoline Leavitt is resigning as White House press secretary. The move comes as the administration presses its policy agenda into the fall. AI cloud computing firm CoreWeave is surging after reporting a cleaner quarter with revenue doubling on demand from the big hyperscalers. Bank of America is sending a blunt message to Nvidia investors as the chipmaker moves through volatile trading. In U.S. cash markets the S&P is holding a modest loss while the VIX continues to ease. Oil has edged lower. Gold is unchanged at $4,473 an ounce. Bitcoin is steady near $63,295. And finally a new report warns foreign student enrollment at U.S. colleges could fall ten percent because of the current administration's agenda with advocates fearing it will trigger tens of thousands of lost jobs and deep cuts to university programs.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

And in Asian news, China is positioning itself to become the primary manufacturing hub for the Muslim world, expanding its export reach across key Islamic markets with halal food, cosmetics and fashion — though success hinges on building trust. A rare solar eclipse is drawing massive crowds to beaches, parks and beauty spots across Britain as the once-in-a-generation event reaches its peak. The S and P is holding a modest gain at 7,757.06 while the VIX is quiet near 14.53. Oil is up on the session at $83.23. Gold remains flat at $4,473. Bitcoin has moved to $63,309. And finally, will Trump accounts and grandparent 529s bring down the price of college in the future? Caps on student borrowing could also play into how America pays for higher education. And finally — Will Trump accounts and grandparent 529s bring down the price of college in the future?.

Condor Studio News · 2:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Wall Street has borrowed $500 billion to fund artificial intelligence infrastructure with analysts now debating what that could mean for retirement accounts. Super Micro Computer issued an upbeat sales forecast but some on the Street are already questioning how long that momentum can hold. Global stocks are holding modest gains after this morning's in-line CPI data with the S&P 500 up 0.4%. Oil is trading at $83.09 a barrel while gold sits at $4,462 an ounce. Bitcoin hovers near $63,419. And finally in a human turn Amazon shares appear stuck in a rut. Trader Mike Khouw is betting things will stay that way.

Condor Studio News · 1:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Hyperliquid has turned to the CFTC for a regulatory path into the U.S. perpetual futures market. The move marks the latest attempt by a crypto trading platform to gain formal footholds in American markets amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Wall Street is showing fresh enthusiasm for big tech names with Nvidia, Intel and Google drawing comparisons to the dot-com era frenzy of 1999. Nvidia's latest $500 B infrastructure deal is being viewed by some as either a strong vote of confidence in AI or the latest sign of a circular deal inside the AI investment bubble. The S&P 500 sits at 7,753.09 while the VIX has eased to 14.67. Away from the tape, Amazon shares appear stuck in a rut. Trader Mike Khouw is betting things will stay that way.

Condor Studio News · 12:00 PM Central · Aug 12, 2026.

Vice President JD Vance's team is pressing ahead with plans to slash capital gains taxes on home sales, according to officials close to the administration. The move comes as the national debt barrels toward $50 trillion, raising fresh questions about the scale of any new tax cuts aimed at the one percent. In U.S. markets the S&P 500 is little changed since our last flash now at 7,743.24. The VIX is trading at 14.81 down 0.3% as protection demand eases. Oil has edged higher to $83.15 a barrel on supply concerns while gold holds near $4,480 an ounce. And finally, Victorian police are investigating allegations a car was driven deliberately at speed toward an anti-racism protester. The S&P 500 was at 7,743.24; the VIX at 14.81; oil at $83.15 a barrel; gold at $4,480 an ounce; Bitcoin near $63,422; and Ethereum at $1,891.

Condor Studio News · 11:00 AM Central · Aug 12, 2026.