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The Morning Bull – US Market Morning Update Thursday, Jun, 18 2026

US stock futures are pointing slightly higher this morning, with E-mini S&P 500 contracts up about 0.1%, as investors weigh stubborn trade price pressures against a steady Federal Reserve. Import prices for May rose 1.9%, with fuel and lubricants jumping 12.5%, which means businesses are facing higher costs on what they buy from overseas. Export prices climbed 1.3%, the sixth straight monthly rise, hinting that US goods sold abroad are also getting more expensive. With the Fed expected to hold rates at 3.50% to 3.75%, a key question is whether higher trade costs will keep pressure on rate sensitive sectors like housing and services, or whether steady policy will give growth sectors more breathing room.

Rising import costs can squeeze margins fast, so focus on solid balance sheet and fundamentals stocks screener (48 results) before pricing pressure intensifies.

Top Movers

• Moderna (MRNA) jumped 11.55% after upbeat FDA briefing documents and pipeline updates on its vaccine portfolio.

• Robinhood Markets (HOOD) gained 8.78% after multiple analysts raised price targets following its announced workforce reduction.

• GE Vernova (GEV) rose 6.77% after Bernstein initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a positive long term outlook.

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Top Losers

• Carvana (CVNA) fell 10.25% after RBC Capital reduced its price target.

• EchoStar (SATS) declined 7.66%.

• AppLovin (APP) dropped 6.93%.

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On The Radar

Earnings from Accenture and Kroger share the spotlight today along with a fresh read on Federal Reserve policy communication.

• Enterprise IT spending: Accenture (ACN) reports Q3 results on Thursday, highlighting corporate tech consulting and outsourcing demand.

• Consumer staples focus: Kroger (KR) posts Q1 results pre market on Thursday, spotlighting grocery pricing and volume trends.

• Federal Reserve policy messaging: The June Fed meeting on Thursday keeps attention on rate path signals and updated economic projections.

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