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Good morning. Thursday is the busy one this week: the June jobs report lands before the opening bell, Tesla reports how many cars it delivered last quarter, and the market closes early at 1:00 PM ET ahead of the long holiday weekend.
The Market Gauge
Wall Street opened the second half of 2026 with a down day. Here's where Wednesday finished:
S&P 500: 7,483.23 (−0.22%)
Nasdaq: 26,040.03 (−0.66%)
Dow: 52,305.24 (−0.03%)
The Nasdaq lagged as chip stocks — Micron among them — sold off, while the Dow held roughly flat. Per Investor's Business Daily, it read as a pause rather than a turn: the market just closed its best quarter since 2020, so the broader trend is still healthy; the tape is catching its breath before the week's main event. Constructive, but careful.
Beginner note: one red day doesn't break an uptrend. Growth traders judge the market by its trend over weeks, not by any single session — and that trend is still pointed up, even after Wednesday's dip.
On today's calendar
June jobs report — 8:30 AM ET. The month's most-watched economic release: how many jobs U.S. employers added in June. It matters because it shapes what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates — and rates move the whole market. (It lands Thursday instead of the usual first Friday because markets are closed tomorrow for the holiday.)
Tesla (TSLA) second-quarter deliveries — during the day. How many vehicles Tesla delivered last quarter. Watch how the stock reacts: a clear beat or miss versus expectations can move it sharply.
Early close — 1:00 PM ET. Today is a half-day session. Markets are then closed all day Friday for Independence Day and reopen Monday morning.
On the radar: GE Vernova
$GEV ( ▼ 0.87% ) — one of 2026's standout growth leaders, and a name Investor's Business Daily has been highlighting among its market leaders. GE Vernova is the energy company spun out of General Electric; it builds what generates and moves electricity — gas turbines, grid equipment, wind — just as power demand surges, partly to feed AI data centers.
The stock has been on a tear: up more than 20% over the past month, trading near its 52-week high around $1,182. On Wednesday it eased about 3.5% to roughly $1,134, pulling back with the broader market.
Why it's worth watching: it's a live example of something we'll come back to all year — even the strongest stocks don't move straight up. A leader giving back a few percent isn't a warning by itself; what growth traders watch is whether it holds above support (like its 50-day average line) or starts to break down. We'll show you exactly how to read moments like this in Sunday's first Pattern of the Week.
ONE FOR THE ROAD
Before the 8:30 report: do you think June's jobs number comes in hot (more jobs than expected) or cold? There's no wrong answer — the point is to start following the data that moves the market. Reply with your call.
You're getting this because you opted into the optional morning brief. Prefer just the 6 PM edition? Reply "evening only" and we'll take it from here.
Educational content only. Not financial advice. Past performance does not predict future results. Read the full financial disclosure.
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