🆕 Newsmakers — 2:30p ET, 2026-08-26 — new since last alert

📰 NEW MARKET THEMES: • AI Data Center Demand Isn't Slowing: Southern CEO As the AI boom is driving one of the biggest data center buildouts in history, Southern Company CEO Chris Womack discusses the utility's growing pipeline of data center projects, its 25-year agreement supporting OpenAI's planned Georgia expansion, and why he says hyperscalers ca… — youtube.com · 08/26 2:05p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxa7gDeGKvI • How ‘Cash Returns' Are Replacing AI Momentum Stocks that pay high dividends and buy back lots of shares, which includes banks, are thriving now. — barrons.com · 08/26 1:59p https://www.barrons.com/articles/banks-stocks-cash-buybacks-dividends-bfbe76d6 • AI Bubble Alert: The Rubber Hits The Road In 2027 The huge surge in capex budgets at the hyperscalers has, to a large part, been driven by what was termed 'vendor financing' back during the Internet boom. As but one example, Oracle has locked in a massive $300B, five-year agreement with OpenAI, driving a surge in capex and debt. — seekingalpha.com · 08/26 1:56p https://seekingalpha.com/article/4940467-ai-bubble-alert-rubber-hits-road-in-2027 • The U.S. economy is better than it looks — but it might be due for a slowdown Don't pay much attention to a seemingly soft 1.5% annual rate of growth for the U.S. economy in the spring. The economy did all right — and it's still growing at a stable pace. The latest update to U.S. gross domestic product, the official scorecard of the economy, showed no cha… — marketwatch.com · 08/26 1:31p https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-u-s-economy-is-better-than-it-looks-but-it-might-be-due-for-a-slowdown-5d9395d2 • Margins Crushed, Guidance Slashed: Inside DICK'S 30% Drop (Earnings Review) DICK'S Sporting Goods experienced a dramatic post-earnings decline of over 30% amid heightened market volatility. I previously valued DKS at $145–$150, referencing its strategic acquisition of Foot Locker. DKS's performance is closely monitored in comparison to key competitor Ac… — seekingalpha.com · 08/26 1:24p https://seekingalpha.com/article/4940456-margins-crushed-guidance-slashed-inside-dicks-30-percent-drop-earnings-review

📈 NEW GAINERS:

1. ANF +36% $147.60 (6.6B cap) Is Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Stock Still a Buy After Its Q2 Surge? Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) shares have surged over 30% on Wednesday after reporting stronger-than-expected Q2 results this morning and a substantial increase in full-year guidance. — zacks.com · 08/26 1:55p https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2980539/is-abercrombie-fitch-anf-stock-still-a-buy-after-its-q2-surge?cid=CS-STOCKNEWSAPI-FT-investment_ideas-2980539

2. BHVN +23% $17.64 (2.7B cap) Why Is Biohaven Stock Soaring Wednesday? Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE:BHVN) scored two major wins this week. The company signed a lucrative licensing agreement with SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. and secured a legal victory alongside Yale University in a trade-secret dispute. — benzinga.com · 08/26 1:41p https://www.benzinga.com/markets/biotech/26/08/61442861/why-is-biohaven-stock-soaring-wednesday

3. GRRR +12% $15.79 (391M cap) Gorilla Surges 14% as Traders Reverse the Earnings Selloff, Evolv Eases Gorilla Technology Group (NASDAQ:GRRR) stock is up 14% to $15.97 Wednesday afternoon, reversing the 11% earnings-day drop the stock took Tuesday on its H1 2026 filing. — 247wallst.com · 08/26 2:03p https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/08/26/gorilla-surges-14-as-traders-reverse-the-earnings-selloff-evolv-eases/

4. PRE +12% $25.98 (442M cap) Prenetics' IM8 CEO and CFO Purchase $1.0 Million of Shares in the Open Market Following Second Quarter Results Cumulative Personal Investment by Leadership Since November 2025 Reaches Approximately $3.75 Million NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE) (“Prenetics” or the “Company”), a leading consumer health company and parent of the AI-native d… — globenewswire.com · 08/26 8:38a https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/08/26/3351356/0/en/prenetics-im8-ceo-and-cfo-purchase-1-0-million-of-shares-in-the-open-market-following-second-quarter-results.html

— new items only (already-sent headlines filtered). Full list in the 10am/3pm digest.