Stocks end mixed as US Debt hits $40 Trillion

US public debt crossed $40 trillion for the first time and Treasury Secretary Bessent responded with his second market intervention this month — doubling long-bond buybacks to calm a brutal sell-off that pushed the 30-year yield to its highest since 2007. Mark and Philip unpack why the US is effectively inflating its way out of trouble, what it means for gold (which surged past $4,500) and Bitcoin (up 6.5%), and whether the Fed's hawkish minutes change anything with rate-hike odds already fading.On the corporate front, Moderna posted its best day in history — up 177% — on a breakthrough cancer vaccine result with Merck. ASX reporting season delivered a 12% pop for Stockland on data centre news, while WiseTech copped a 10% hit after an ACCC search warrant. Today's big names: Goodman Group, Fortescue, Northern Star, and Brambles.Recorded live 06:00 AEST, Thursday 20 August 2026.