1120 ET - Bitcoin is back below $60,000 as investors guess what data coming soon will mean for the economy and appetite for risk-on assets like bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. "For the week ahead the focus will be on whether the data justifies Warsh's hawkish posture, particularly the jobs report on Thursday and the ISM Manufacturing survey on Wednesday," says Stephen Coltman of 21shares in a note. Focus is also being put on the activities of bitcoin treasury firm Strategy, with company head Michael Saylor expected to do an interview this week that may disclose the company's next steps - including if it plans on selling any more of its huge bitcoin stockpiles to fund operations. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
1119 ET - Comcast CEO Brian Roberts says the company's decision to separate its media and connectivity businesses reflects its willingness to look ahead, embrace change and position itself for the future. "The world is changing faster than ever. Technology, consumer behavior, competition, capital requirements are all evolving at an unprecedented pace," he says on a call with analysts. "As we look ahead, it has become clear that our technology and media businesses each have compelling opportunities in front of them that are distinct in nature and best pursued with dedicated focus, strategic flexibility and tailored investment priorities." Comcast rises 7%. (connor.hart@wsj.com)
1113 ET - Warner Bros. Discovery's 'Supergirl' raked in $38 million in its U.S. opening weekend, disappointing already muted expectations, Benchmark analyst Matthew Harrigan says in a note. The film would need to gross about $450 million to $500 million globally to breakeven, though now it looks like its final box office run could actually fall below $200 million, the analyst says, noting weak ratings on CinemaScore and Rotten Tomatoes. "This suggests a potential $150M loss on the release," Harrigan says. Harrigan attributes some of the film's disappointing box office performance to the casting of Australian actress Milly Alcock, which garnered negative reactions among some fans, he says. "Superhero movies are notoriously sensitive to bad casting decisions, especially for female lead films that have often empirically been more difficult to market," he said. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)
1107 ET - Comcast's decision to separate its media and connectivity businesses is boosting shares 8%. That gain, Benchmark says in a research note, only modestly reflects the eventual potential value for the standalone companies. "The split is especially desirable in assigning fairer immediate value studio to the Studio and Parks businesses," analyst Matthew Harrigan says. He notes that both companies will build and invest for organic growth. "In the interim, improved connectivity results remain determinative for improving stock performance despite studio, sports and Peacock momentum at NBCU." (connor.hart@wsj.com)
1052 ET - Robinhood Markets' prediction markets business is gaining momentum with volumes accelerating over the past week, putting the metric on track to land nearly 40% ahead of analysts' estimate for the second quarter, Truist Securities analysts say in a note. Prediction revenue could see even greater upside than just applying Wall Street's take rate to the volume upside given the World Cup is likely driving considerable volume, the analysts say. Such contracts are tradable on Robinhood's own Rothera exchange, where it does not share revenue with third-party exchanges, they say. All in, Robinhood is on pace for its best trading month ever in June for equities, options and prediction markets, making for a "hat trick, unassisted by crypto," they say. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)
1041 ET - The rate of new women CEOs rose compared to the same period in 2025, according to a report from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. The rate of new CEOs who are women stands at 26.9% year-to-date, up from 25.3% in the same period of 2025 and ahead of last year's full-year rate of 25.4%. "The fact that the share has held up through a slower market suggests boards are continuing to develop and promote diverse leadership pipelines rather than letting them lapse," says Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer for the firm. (jessica.coacci@wsj.com)
1040 ET - Through the first five months of this year, 782 CEO exits have been announced, down 24% from the 1,028 recorded in the same period last year, according to a report from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. While May's total rose slightly from April's low, it remains the second-lightest month this year. "Boards are turning over leaders at a markedly slower rate than a year ago," says Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer for the firm. Founder departures reached a new 2026 monthly high, with 25 of the CEOs who left in May having founded the companies they led, the firm says. "As private companies mature and pursue capital or sale events, founders are increasingly handing the reins to professional operators," Challenger says.(jessica.coacci@wsj.com)
1035 ET - Shake Shack's proximity to World Cup venues should provide a modest lift, helping same-store sales track toward the high end of its updated guidance from earlier this month, D.A. Davidson analysts say in a note. More than 35% of the burger chain's U.S. company-owned locations are within a 30-mile radius of World Cup venues, and several news reports from host cities have suggested a significant uptick in transactions at local restaurants and bars, the analysts say. "The guidance reset appears all the wiser given our lower World Cup lift estimate vs mgmt's initial implied assumption," the analysts say. "As a result, we are increasingly confident new CFO Michelle Hook's oversight & target-setting discipline will help SHAK regain investor credibility and potentially exit the penalty box as soon as its next earnings release." (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)
1033 ET - The Supreme Court has rejected President Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook. The decision preserves her position and is widely seen as reinforcing the Federal Reserve's independence. In a 5-4 decision, the Court upheld the lower courts' rulings that Cook could continue serving at the central bank as her legal case challenging the termination moves forward. "The Government has not shown that it is likely to prevail on the legal arguments advanced in its stay application," the Court said. Cook launched her legal battle on Aug. 28 after Trump attempted to remove her from the Fed amid allegations she made false claims on mortgage documents in 2021 that may have secured her more favorable loan terms. (patrick.sheridan@wsj.com)
0957 ET - House hunters were still heading south last quarter, with Orlando, Fla., as the most popular destination. Redfin says that roughly one in five--19.1%--U.S. house hunters looked to move from one part of the country to another in 1Q. That's up slightly from 18.9% a year earlier. Housing costs are near record highs because mortgage rates and sale prices remain high, and inflation is pushing up everyday expenses. That's motivating people to move to more affordable areas. The typical Orlando home costs just over $400,000, roughly half the cost of the typical home in New York. Orlando was followed by three other Florida metros: North Port, Miami and Cape Coral. Half of the most popular destinations are in Florida, and all are relatively affordable, especially compared to the places people are most commonly leaving. (chris.wack@wsj.com)
0938 ET - June payrolls are likely to remain robust, but there are downside risks, Bank of America economists write. They expect Thursday's report to show 110,000 jobs added, a slowdown from May's 172,000, but still a healthy pace. BofA forecasts the unemployment rate steady at 4.3%. The economists warn that "May's surge in leisure [and] hospitality may have been driven by the World Cup or Memorial Day timing, and if it was the latter, June could see payback." A strong report "would likely move markets closer to our call for three hikes," this year, the economists say. WSJ consensus calls for a 118,000 growth in June payrolls. (paulo.trevisani@wsj.com; @ptrevisani)
0858 ET - Oil futures are higher but appear steady as the U.S. and Iran plan to resume talks after exchanging strikes over the weekend. The market is trying to clear crude that was trapped behind the Strait of Hormuz, "hitting the global market just as we had covered crude needs with other sources (e.g. SPR)," Neil Crosby of Sparta Commodities says in a note. But "it is still fairly obvious to us that until more vessels sustainably head into the Strait than come out of it, we won't get anywhere near a normal Arabian Gulf supply chain," he adds. WTI is up 0.9% at $69.88 a barrel and most active Brent gains 0.7% to $73.10.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)