Thursday's Digest from Dark Bulls: Wall Street Earnings Surge Beyond Expectations. White House Press Secretary Steps Down.

Thursday, August 13, 2026. Dark Bulls

Today we look at an earnings season that is quietly reshaping retirement portfolios across the country. We also cover a notable staffing shift at the White House and a clever scientific breakthrough that turns internet satellites into atmospheric scanners. Plus, a look at European soccer's opening bell and why your birth year is becoming obsolete in modern medicine.

MONEY & MARKETS

Corporate earnings for the second quarter are blowing past Wall Street forecasts at a rate not seen in years.

American companies are reporting profits that significantly exceed what analysts predicted just a few months ago. Over 80 percent of S&P 500 companies have topped earnings estimates, driven heavily by technology gains and international revenue. What looked like a sluggish summer on paper has turned into one of the strongest corporate performance stretches since 2021.

Wall Street had priced in modest growth, meaning this wave of positive surprises gives the broader market a solid floor. Stronger earnings support higher stock valuations without relying purely on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Corporate balance sheets are proving far more resilient than expected in a higher-rate environment.

For your personal portfolio and retirement accounts, this is reassurance that underlying business fundamentals remain sound. If you hold index funds or broad equity mutual funds, these profit numbers directly support long-term asset growth. It means your retirement capital is backed by real corporate earnings rather than speculative hype.

Roku had 270 million TVs. This company has 7 billion phones.

I remember when Roku went public. September 2017. $400 million in revenue, still losing money.

They didn't make TVs. They made software... an operating system that sat inside other companies' TVs. You'd buy a TV and Roku was already on it.

Every show watched, every ad served — Roku took a cut.

The stock opened at $14. Four years later it hit $479 — a 3,300% return. $10,000 turned into more than $340,000. That's Roku's history — it doesn't predict what any other stock will do.

A small Chicago startup runs a similar playbook... an operating system for phones that sits inside the device and takes a cut of every ad that runs on it. And then shares that cut with the user.

The difference is the market size. Roku had 270 million smart TVs to work with. This startup has 7 billion smartphones...

Right now, shares are $0.52. The NASDAQ ticker is reserved. The SEC has qualified the offering. Anyone can invest.

On August 14, the opportunity to invest at $0.52 closes — and this price disappears forever.

INVEST at $0.52 before August 14 ->*

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POLITICS

Karoline Leavitt is stepping down as White House press secretary to transition into an outside advisory role.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced her departure effective at the end of the month. Having recently welcomed her second child, she noted the immense time demands of the podium were incompatible with family life right now. President Trump acknowledged her decision, confirming she will remain a senior outside adviser as midterm election planning heats up.

High turnover in the briefing room is common in modern administrations, but the timing ahead of the midterms makes this transition significant. The press secretary sets the tone for how executive policy is framed to the public every afternoon. Moving a key spokesperson to an outside strategy role signals a shift toward campaign focus over daily podium defense.

While presidential communications staff changes rarely affect your daily routine directly, they do shift how policy news reaches you. A less defensive, more strategic messaging operation usually means political debate will center on key economic and legislative issues heading into the fall. Keeping an eye on who takes the podium next gives insight into the administration's primary focus.

President Trump signed Executive Order #14330

President Trump signed Executive Order #14330 — a sweeping change that could forever alter retirement accounts, including millions of 401(k)s.

For the first time ever, physical precious metals like gold are being formally opened to retirement portfolios.

Once the order takes effect in 2026, J.P. Morgan projects a massive wave of demand could send gold prices toward $6,000 per ounce.

That means you can beat the rush to gold, while preserving the full tax advantages of your account starting today.

With Executive Order #14330 now signed, the timing has never been clearer:

• Gold prices are up 51% in 2025
• J.P. Morgan forecasts gold hitting $6,000/oz
• Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio now recommends a 10-15% gold allocation for all investment portfolios

If you want to capitalize on this trend, we've created a free guide that explains how to buy physical gold with your 401(k), IRA, or other retirement account.

Click below now to claim your free guide:

Yes, Send Me My FREE Retirement-to-Gold Guide.

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HEALTH & LIFE 50+

Leading researchers argue that biological metrics should replace strict chronological age in senior care.

A growing movement among medical researchers at institutions like Rockefeller University urges doctors to evaluate biological age rather than birth dates when treating adults over 50. Traditional healthcare protocols often apply blanket guidelines based strictly on whether a patient is 60, 70, or 80. New research shows that cellular markers and organ function offer a far more precise picture of actual health status.

Individual aging varies dramatically based on genetics, metabolic health, and lifestyle habits over decades. Two people born in the same year can have vastly different physiological capabilities and risks for chronic conditions. Standardized age cutoffs can lead to over-medication for some and under-treatment for others who remain biologically resilient.

For anyone over 50, this shift means you can advocate for more personalized care at your next checkup. Instead of accepting generic health recommendations based on a calendar number, ask your physician about specific metabolic, cardiovascular, and functional tests. Tailoring preventative care to your actual body state yields far better long-term vitality.

SCIENCE & WORLD

Researchers have turned internet satellites into a massive atmospheric scanner to make space travel safer.

Scientists at Kyoto University found an ingenious way to measure Earth’s elusive upper atmosphere using publicly available data from roughly 1,200 Starlink satellites. By tracking tiny changes in satellite speed caused by atmospheric drag, researchers created two-dimensional maps of air density 300 miles above Earth. This technique effectively converts thousands of orbiting internet transmitters into a giant diagnostic array.

Mapping the thermosphere has always been difficult because neutral gas particles at that altitude do not reflect radio waves. Previous tools could only measure atmospheric conditions along a single satellite's narrow path. Using a wide constellation allows researchers to see geographic shifts in atmospheric drag across broad regions in near-real time.

Safer skies directly protect the satellite infrastructure powering modern life. Everything from GPS navigation and financial transaction timing to aviation tracking depends on low-Earth orbit satellites avoiding collisions with space debris. Better tracking keeps those essential services running smoothly without costly interruptions or elevated service prices.

Find out what Wall Street’s buying next

If you feel like you're always one step behind in the market…

And even when AI stocks are soaring…

Or energy stocks spiked during the Iran War…

Or the next great tech company goes public in an IPO…

You still can't seem to get ahead.

Now is your chance.

Using this proprietary indicator.

You can see where Wall Street's going.

Before the stock moves…

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SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

Paris Saint-Germain kicked off the European soccer season with a tight Super Cup victory in Austria.

The European soccer season officially got underway on Wednesday night in Salzburg as Paris Saint-Germain claimed the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa. A decisive second-half goal secured the title for the French champions in front of a sold-out crowd. The match serves as the traditional curtain-raiser before domestic leagues across Europe launch their full schedules this weekend.

Super Cup matches offer an early glimpse into which top clubs have integrated summer additions and maintained match fitness. For clubs like Aston Villa, competing at this level highlights how dramatically the competitive hierarchy in international soccer has expanded beyond traditional powerhouses.

European soccer continues to capture a growing share of American sports viewership and broadcast rights investment. If you follow global sports or hold media company shares in your portfolio, strong international engagement signals continued growth for live sports entertainment networks.

ONE MORE THING: A NOTE FROM DAVID

You may have noticed the name at the top is different.

After a few years as Dark Pool Bulls, I'm simplifying — we're now Dark Bulls. Same analysis, same voice, same commitment to telling you what's actually happening in markets, politics, and the world. Just a cleaner name that fits what this publication has always been about.

We're also moving to a proper home. Dark Bulls now a full publication, not just a newsletter in your inbox. Every issue goes up on the site. You can share it, bookmark it, read it on your own time.

Nothing changes for you. You're already on the list. But if someone in your life would find this useful — forward it. The more people who read this, the better the conversation gets.

Thanks for being here.

David

*Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.modemobile.com. This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile’s Regulation A+ Offering.

Mode Mobile recently received their ticker reservation with Nasdaq ($MODE), indicating an intent to IPO in the next 24 months. An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur.

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Pro forma revenue and EBITDA, includes full year numbers of the businesses acquired throughout 2025.