Aug 19, 2026 · 7 min
Moderna surges as retailers split on demand
Target Posts Comp Sales Beat, Lowe's Slips on Outlook, Moderna Soars on Melanoma Study
The market moves show how clinical breakthroughs, tariff effects, regional growth and cautious consumers can produce sharply different investor reactions.
- 1Moderna’s personalized melanoma vaccine succeeds in a late-stage trial, lifting shares and benefiting Merck through its Keytruda combination.
- 2Target raises its outlook after stronger sales and nearly a billion dollars in tariff refunds, yet its stock falls after a prior rally.
- 3Lowe’s cuts comparable-sales guidance as weak discretionary do-it-yourself demand outweighs gains in professional online sales and home services.
Don't miss
Moderna shares surge after its personalized melanoma vaccine reduces recurrence in a late-stage trial, with Merck also benefiting from the Keytruda combination.
The brief
The Stock Movers report opens with Moderna, whose personalized melanoma vaccine reduced recurrence in a late-stage trial; Merck also benefits because testing paired it with Keytruda.
Target raises its outlook after stronger-than-expected sales and nearly a billion dollars in tariff refunds, but shares fall as investors weigh the results against a substantial prior rise.
Lowe’s cuts its full-year comparable-sales outlook to no growth as weak discretionary do-it-yourself spending offsets gains in professional online sales and home services.
Estée Lauder gains after beating fiscal fourth-quarter expectations, with stronger Asia-Pacific performance and an optimistic fiscal 2027 earnings outlook supporting the stock.
The episode then widens from daily market moves to smarter cities, examining how AI and long-term planning can help fast-growing urban systems become more resilient.
What was said on this episode
5 statements · 4 positive · 1 negative
Target’s tariff refunds are not a recurring long-term benefit.
“Also, part of this beat is fueled by tariff refunds. That's not going to be a long-term benefit.”
Listen at 2:23
Target is expected to post its first annual net-sales growth since 2022.
“It is seen as posting the first year of net sales growth since 2022.”
Listen at 2:48
Estée Lauder’s Asia-Pacific growth reached 5%, exceeding Wall Street expectations.
“a lot of that growth was driven out of Asia-Pacific. 5% growth by that measure, and that's stronger than Wall Street had anticipated.”
Listen at 3:58
AI will accelerate processes in smart-city development.
“AI will allow in the smart city space to compress a lot of things. the speed will change.”
Listen at 5:03
Dubai responded well to population growth and has a long-term urban-planning vision.
“they reacted very well to it. They have a long-term urban planning vision, which again doesn't happen everywhere in the world.”
Listen at 5:29
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Nathan Hager
Bloomberg Audio StudiosBooks & mentions
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