NewsletterDailyThursday, August 20, 2026
Daily Market Briefing — Thursday, August 20, 2026 | CoveredCalls.live
Daily Market Briefing
Thursday, August 20, 2026
S&P 500 (SPY)
▼ 762.6
-0.84%
Nasdaq (QQQ)
▼ 710.93
-0.72%
VIX
0.00%
Market Close
SymbolName CloseChangeRange
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF $762.60 -0.84% $768.15 / $762.04
QQQ Invesco Nasdaq QQQ $710.93 -0.72% $714.94 / $708.52
DIA Dow Jones ETF $527.59 -1.25% $531.78 / $527.20
IWM Russell 2000 ETF $297.67 -1.34% $300.04 / $297.04
Top News Today
1

Bessent says US will impose toughest ever sanctions on Iran, urges China to cooperate - Reuters

Bessent says US will impose toughest ever sanctions on Iran, urges China to cooperate  Reuters

Reuters
2

Gatekeeping bots, piles of slop: Welcome to the age of AI weirdness at work

AI has changed jobs and businesses, but it's also creating bottlenecks, confusion and downright awkward encounters for humans in the workplace.

CNBC
3

California AG tells CNBC that settling Paramount-WBD lawsuit would require 'robust structural remedies'

California AG Rob Bonta discussed the states' antitrust case to block the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger with CNBC's David Faber.

CNBC
4

Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Thursday

Walmart is selling off on disappointing earnings, and analysts are divided on Merck after its cancer vaccine breakthrough.

CNBC
5

Workers can't agree if junior employees should use AI at work: CNBC survey

Workers are divided on what AI usage should ideally look like for their junior colleagues, according to the CNBC and SurveyMonkey Quarterly AI and Jobs Survey.

CNBC
6

Israel and Turkey step up warnings over Syria after airbase bombing - Reuters

Israel and Turkey step up warnings over Syria after airbase bombing  Reuters

Reuters
7

Jim Cramer says buy Target on any pullback as turnaround takes hold

Wall Street cheered improving financial metrics across the board in its latest earnings results.

CNBC
8

We're booking a five-fold profit on one of drug stock's rally to record highs

This trim doesn't reflect any change in our positive long-term view.

CNBC
Economic Releases — Today
EventImpact ActualEstimate
No major economic releases today.
Tomorrow's High-Impact Events ★★★
EventPriorityEstimate
No high-impact releases tomorrow.

Only 3-star (high impact) events shown. Check Investing.com for full calendar.

Earnings This Week
SymbolCompany EPS Est.Date
CLBT CELLEBRITE DI LTD $0.11 2026-08-20
WMT WALMART INC $0.74 2026-08-20
ZM ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS INC - CLASS A $1.48 2026-08-20
SNDK SANDISK CORP $33.35 2026-08-24
OKTA OKTA INC - CLASS A $0.96 2026-08-25
HPQ HP INC $0.66 2026-08-26
MDB MONGODB INC - CLASS A $1.60 2026-08-26
NVDA NVIDIA CORP $2.09 2026-08-26
SNOW SNOWFLAKE INC - CLASS A $0.45 2026-08-26
AFRM AFFIRM HOLDINGS INC - CLASS A $0.83 2026-08-27

⚡ Picks with earnings before expiry are flagged. Manage risk accordingly.

Covered Call Picks — 30 to 360 Days

Top-scoring covered call setups from today's scan. Selected for balance of premium, downside protection and liquidity. Horizons: 30–360 days.

SymbolName StrikeExpiryDTE PremiumDeltaIV Ann.RetCushion
No candidates found for this range today.

Ann.Ret = annualized return on capital. Cushion = % stock can drop before loss. Not financial advice.

LEAP Covered Calls — 360+ Days

Long-dated covered calls for investors seeking income while holding long-term positions. Lower annualized yield, higher total premium collected.

SymbolName StrikeExpiryDTE PremiumDeltaIV Ann.RetCushion
No LEAP candidates found today.

This newsletter is generated automatically after the daily scanner run. Data sourced from Finnhub and live options data. All covered call picks are selected algorithmically using the CCL Score — they are not personalized financial advice. Always verify data with your broker before trading. Past performance of the scanner does not guarantee future results.

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