PMI
Picard Medical, Inc.
stock NYSEAMERICAN

Market Brief Aug 17: US Flash PMI Setup, HUBS Guidance Cut (-6.8%), WMT & HD Earnings Week

View in your timezone:
[(Fri, Aug 21, 13:45 UTC)][1]
[1]: https://timee.io/20260821T1345?tl=Market+Brief+Aug+17%3A+US+Flash+PMI+Setup%2C+HUBS+Guidance+Cut+%28-6.8%25%29%2C+WMT+%26amp%3B+HD+Earnings+Week

🌍 **Macro**
The 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum window expired without a final agreement, keeping the Strait of Hormuz situation unresolved and pushing oil prices higher. Meanwhile, weaker U.S. economic data and continued AI financing concerns weighed on risk sentiment.
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📈 **Market Snapshot**
• BTC: $63,482.70 (-0.01%)
• ETH: $1,886.10 (+0.34%)
• NASDAQ: 26,803.03 (+0.81%)
• S&P 500: 7,798.99 (+0.65%)
• F&G: 29 (Fear)
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🧠 **Market Take**
BTC tested the $62.6K–$62.7K area twice over the weekend and quickly rebounded, with long lower wicks and increased volume showing strong buying support. BTC is now back around $63K–$63.1K, but remains capped below $63.4K.
**Key levels:**
* Resistance: $63.4K
* Support: $62.6K–$62.7K
* Trend: Range-bound consolidation
A volume-backed break above $63.4K could improve the short-term outlook, while failure to reclaim the level may keep BTC in weak sideways trading.
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🔥 **Hot Tokens**
* PORTAL: +50%+ as its August Creator Program and AI-powered game creation initiatives boosted activity; volume surged 5x
* AIO: +20%+ after upgrading AI trading tools with real-time tokenized U.S. stock analysis
* APR: +20%+ following a 5.3% token buyback and a $200K exchange trading competition
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📰 **Key Updates**
* Kalshi: Washington State court ordered the platform to suspend multiple businesses and implement geoblocking by Aug. 19
* SEC: Canceled its crypto exemption rule meeting, adding uncertainty around CLARITY Act progress
* World Liberty: Received a conditional U.S. federal banking charter and will replace BitGo as USD1 custodian and issuer
* Cboe: Applied for approval of the first U.S. 3x leveraged Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs
* Ireland: Plans its first national AML strategy with tighter scrutiny of crypto wallets and overseas digital asset firms
* Leumi: Israel’s largest bank plans to launch crypto trading in early 2027
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👀 **This Week to Watch**
* Aug 17: ASTER unlock ($98.64M); SPK unlock ($3.97M)
* Aug 19: 50% U.S. tariff on certain Canadian products takes effect; U.S. weekly ADP employment data
* Aug 20: Fed July FOMC minutes; U.S. initial jobless claims; ZRO unlock ($19.9M); KAITO unlock ($11.5M)
* Aug 21: U.S. August PMI; Japan CPI; AKE unlock ($21.27M); GWEI unlock ($5.18M)
* Aug 22: SENT unlock (\~$4.16M)
* Aug 23: SOON unlock (\~$3.93M)
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⚡ **Quick Take**
BTC continues to defend the $62.6K–$62.7K area, but remains trapped below $63.4K. Strong buying at the lows provides a near-term floor, while the unresolved U.S.-Iran situation and weak risk appetite keep the broader rebound fragile. **$63.4K is the key breakout trigger, while $62.6K remains the critical downside support.**
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I mean this is exactly why when we bought, we bought a place that was relatively cheap ($250k) and we hoped would appreciate enough to refi later, sinxe we live in a busy area. At the time, looking at the interest paid on our 30yr fixed was nuts, but it was doable.
Got a 30yr with PMI at \~3.7%, refi'ed a couple years later to a 15yr fixed at \~1.8% and the difference was staggering. Monthly went up obviously, but not badly enough for it not to math well. The interest we're paying still hurts but it's nothing like before.
Fast forward to now - everything around us is $400-600k, and 30yr fixed is approaching 7%.
In this market we would be renting. So I generally agree with your observations (and this doesn't even account for other economic factors that weren't present a few years ago. E.g., I wasn't afraid of losing my job back then).

breakdown of key macroeconomic releases and corporate earnings scheduled for the week of August 17 to August 21, 2026:
Macro Setup:
The main focus opens on Monday with Canada CPI Inflation (12:30 UTC). Core inflation figures will set the tone for Bank of Canada policy expectations. Macro markets enter the week with the S&P 500 at 7,785.76, the US 10-Year Treasury yield at 4.70%, and EUR/USD at 1.16.
Key Economic Calendar (UTC):
Mon Aug 17: Canada CPI Inflation (12:30)
Tue Aug 18: UK Employment (06:00) | US Housing Starts (12:30) | US Industrial Production (13:15)
Wed Aug 19: UK CPI Inflation (06:00)
Thu Aug 20: Australia Employment (01:30) | Japan CPI Inflation (23:30)
Fri Aug 21: UK Retail Sales (06:00) | Canada Retail Trade (12:30) | US Flash PMI (13:45)
Earnings Calendar:
Mon: BHP Group
Tue: Home Depot (HD, est $4.69)
Wed: Lowe's (LOW, est $4.24), TJX Companies (TJX, est $1.19)
Thu: Walmart (WMT, est $0.74), Alibaba (BABA, est $10.76), Deere & Co (DE, est $4.72), Ross Stores (ROST, est $1.54)
[Full weekly brief and data](https://metricshour.com/briefs/2026-08-16/)