Bulls, Bears and the Bell | Housing Tuesday: Home Depot Beats the Freeze & The $91 Oil Overhang

Welcome to the Bulls, Bears and the Bell podcast, your essential pre-market briefing for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Join hosts Joe and Jane as they break down the critical global market hand-off and prepare your portfolio for the opening bell.In today's episode, we unpack:The "Housing & Hammer" Narrative: Home Depot (HD) beats Q2 consensus on both top and bottom lines, rising 1.4% in pre-market trading. But with critical July Housing Starts and Building Permits dropping at 8:30 AM ET, are builders starting to pull back?Global Speed Bumps: Japan's Nikkei 225 closed down 0.4% after a disappointing 1.1% annualized Q2 GDP growth miss. Meanwhile, Eurozone markets remain mixed as investors digest inflation.The Energy Overhang: Brent crude climbs north of $91 a barrel as Middle East tensions escalate, driving Eurozone inflation back up to 2.9%.Pre-Market Movers & Yield Watch: Baidu (BIDU) slides 2.3% on weak core advertising, while Amer Sports (AS) jumps 3.2% after a strong earnings beat. Plus, why we are keeping a close eye on the 10-Year Treasury Yield, currently sitting at 4.22%, as we position ahead of tomorrow's FOMC meeting minutes.Subscribe on Spotify or your favorite podcast app to never miss a pre-market beat!Disclaimer: The information presented in this podcast episode is based on pre-market research data from Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and is intended strictly for informational and educational purposes. It does not constitute professional financial, investment, or trading advice. Markets carry inherent risks; past performance is not indicative of future results. Please consult with a registered financial advisor before making any investment decisions.