Welcome to Markets Desk, here's what's moving the tape this afternoon.
Humana held its ground on earnings, topping quarterly estimates and maintaining its two thousand twenty six adjusted profit outlook of at least nine dollars per share. But some analysts called that guidance a disappointment, suggesting the street had priced in something more ambitious. Medical costs are staying in line, which matters enormously in this sector right now.
Shifting to energy, Peabody Energy posted a wider second quarter net loss as higher costs and depreciation weighed heavily on the bottom line, even as revenue came in higher. The market didn't take it well — shares fell more than eleven percent on the session. That's a reminder that top-line growth means little when the cost structure is running hot underneath it.
On the macro side, consumer confidence slipped again in July, landing at ninety point eight, down from ninety two point two in June. Ground beef is now running nearly seven dollars a pound, and gas prices are climbing again amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. Confidence hasn't cracked one hundred since late two thousand twenty four, and that persistent softness is starting to tell a story about the American consumer's breaking point.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
