Mid-Quarter Investor Conference Calendar: Stocks Heat Up Heading Into Autumn

by Christine Short of Wall Street Horizon, 8/13/26

Mid-Quarter Investor Conference Calendar: Stocks Heat Up Heading Into Autumn

Traders said sayonara to the summer swoon to kick off August. The S&P 500 posted its best week since April following a slew of so-called “clearing events” that ranged from a partial hedge fund liquidation to a controversial Fed meeting to mega-cap tech earnings.​

Then, earlier this month, a surprise coordinated currency intervention between the U.S. Treasury and Japan pressured the dollar, allowing for even more gains as we approach Q3’s halfway point.​

A Lot Has Gone Right​

All told, global equities are near all-time highs, despite the sharp June-July semiconductor drawdown. Fundamentally, an eye-popping 50% Q2 SPX earnings growth rate fuels the rally. Of course, it has been a perfect storm of sorts for domestic large-cap profitability. ​

Consider that gains on equity holdings for some of the largest firms are more than just icing on the earnings cake, tariff refunds are hitting corporate coffers, and AI- and OBBBA-fueled capex juices the index’s short-term aggregate profit. There may even be lingering tax refunds being spent at the consumer level, along with the late-Q2 World Cup boost.​

The Easy Comps Won’t Last Forever​

Toss it all together, and the S&P 500 is up low teens this year, potentially on the way to another 20%+ annual heater. Not to cast a rain cloud over the record-high party, but it’s possible that the myriad aforementioned EPS-boosting factors could seriously raise the profit bar in the out year, and probably beyond. It's not on investors’ minds heading into the fall conference season, but push might soon come to shove.​

Capex Is the New Scorecard​

In the here and now, nothing is the talk of the Street like AI. While there are other x-factors, few headlines sway stocks like a major NVIDIA partnership or investment commitment from a hyperscaler. The last few months remind traders that the pendulum can swing both ways. As we hinted at leading into the Q2 earnings season, it’s really capex that matters more than the bottom line.​

The latest concerning news came Monday, when Intel announced a major equity offering. The move continues a trend of increasing issuance. Be on the lookout for pointed questions from analysts directed toward Intel’s management team at the upcoming Hot Chips 2026 conference, held August 23 to 25.​

September Could Bring the Next Catalyst​

Then, in September, Goldman Sachs' Communacopia Technology Conference is arguably the coup de grâce of the season. Tech and Communication Services giants from around the world will flock to San Francisco from the 8th to the 11th. By then, NVIDIA earnings will be in hand, and we’ll already be looking forward to the third-quarter reporting period.​

Diners Ditching Salads & Pizza​

Consumer trends are also up for debate. This summer, U.S. inflation-adjusted retail sales finally eclipsed the 2021 peak, despite lousy sentiment and this year’s gas price jump. Travel companies remain some of the biggest YTD winners, while restaurant stocks have been a mixed bag. Casual dining names are largely up, but the cyclospora outbreak prompts customers to think twice before ordering a big salad. Papa Johns, meanwhile, suspended its dividend due to troubled same-store sales. Like a buffet, there’s a little something for everyone right now.​

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