Stock market news briefing before the market opens
Before the market opens you want to know what moved overnight, what is on the calendar and whether anything touches the stocks you own, without reading ten sites. This prompt has your todo.is agent put together a pre-market briefing with futures, your watchlist news, earnings and economic data for the day, each with a source link.
The prompt
- Every weekday at [TIME AND TIME ZONE], send me a stock market news briefing on [WHERE TO SEND IT]. Start with how index futures and the main overseas markets are trading, and the 3 biggest market stories with source links. Then cover my watchlist: [TICKERS]. For each, give yesterday’s close and change, and any news, analyst rating changes or filings since then. List today’s earnings reports for [WHICH COMPANIES] and economic data releases (time and what is expected). Finish with a one-line "what to watch today". Keep it under 400 words. Facts only, no buy or sell advice.
What to change
- [TIME AND TIME ZONE]: e.g. "8:30 New York time", about an hour before the US open. For London, try "7:30 UK time".
- [WHERE TO SEND IT]: Email, Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram or Discord.
- [TICKERS]: Your watchlist, e.g. "AAPL, MSFT, JPM, COST, NVDA". Up to 10 keeps it readable.
- [WHICH COMPANIES]: e.g. "my watchlist only" or "the 10 largest companies reporting today".
Example result
- Pre-market briefing · Wed Oct 8 · 8:30 ET
- Futures: S&P 500 futures +0.3%, Nasdaq 100 futures +0.5%, Dow futures +0.1%
- Overseas: Europe mixed, Japan up on a weaker yen
- Top stories
- • Inflation data today: consumer prices for September come out at 8:30. Economists polled by news outlets expect a small rise from last month. (link)
- • Bond yields steady: the 10-year Treasury yield is little changed after last week’s jump. (link)
- • Chip stocks up overnight: a large Asian chipmaker raised its sales outlook. (link)
- Your watchlist
- • AAPL: closed -0.6%. No company news; a supplier report mentions strong phone orders. (link)
- • MSFT: closed +0.4%. No new filings.
- • JPM: closed +1.1%. Reports earnings on Friday before the open.
- • COST: closed +0.2%. September sales report due after the close on Thursday.
- • NVDA: closed +1.8%. Two analysts raised price targets; ratings unchanged. (links)
- Today’s calendar
- • 8:30 ET: consumer price index (CPI)
- • 10:00 ET: wholesale inventories
- • 14:00 ET: minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting
- • Earnings: none from your watchlist. A large drinks company reports before the open.
- What to watch today
- The CPI number and the Fed minutes at 2 p.m. are the main events for rates and tech stocks.
- News summary only, not investment advice.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your time zone, tickers and where to send it.
- Paste it on the Today screen or send it to your agent on Slack or email.
- Each weekday your agent researches the latest news and sends the briefing before the open.
- Reply "add a midday update" or "include crypto" to change the format.
Tips for a better result
- Send it about an hour before the open, after early news and economic data are out.
- Keep your watchlist to the stocks you own or plan to buy. Ten names is plenty.
- Ask for the earnings calendar a week ahead on Fridays so you are not surprised.
- Pair it with an evening recap: "what moved my watchlist today and why".
stock market news briefing: FAQ
- What time should I read stock market news? Many investors read a briefing 30 to 60 minutes before the market opens, when overnight news, futures and early economic data are known.
- Are the prices real-time? No. Your agent reads prices from public sites when it writes the briefing, so they can be a little delayed. Use your broker for live prices.
- Can it cover markets outside the US? Yes. Name the exchange and tickers, for example London or Frankfurt stocks, and set the time zone to match.
- Does it give stock picks? No. It summarizes news with sources. For advice about your money, talk to a licensed financial adviser.
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