Market Highlights
Market highlights
2026-08-25
Wall Street kicked off the week on a cautious note, with a selloff in chipmakers outweighing an
oil drop as traders parsed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s plan to isolate Iran from the
global economy.
Just days ahead of Nvidia Corp.’s earnings, semiconductor giants sank. The company’s shares
fell for a seventh straight session, the longest slump since 2022. While the firm’sresults may
serve as a reminder of its commanding lead, the sector was rattled by a news report that
some of the chipmaker’s biggest customers have been notified about AI-related price hikes
above 15%. An ETF tracking memory shares slipped 5.9%. The Nasdaq 100 lost 1%.
US stock-index futures gained as pressure on technology shares eased, signaling tentative
optimism ahead of key earnings this week that will test confidence in the artificial intelligence
trade. Bitcoin advanced
2026-08-25
Wall Street kicked off the week on a cautious note, with a selloff in chipmakers outweighing an
oil drop as traders parsed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s plan to isolate Iran from the
global economy.
Just days ahead of Nvidia Corp.’s earnings, semiconductor giants sank. The company’s shares
fell for a seventh straight session, the longest slump since 2022. While the firm’sresults may
serve as a reminder of its commanding lead, the sector was rattled by a news report that
some of the chipmaker’s biggest customers have been notified about AI-related price hikes
above 15%. An ETF tracking memory shares slipped 5.9%. The Nasdaq 100 lost 1%.
US stock-index futures gained as pressure on technology shares eased, signaling tentative
optimism ahead of key earnings this week that will test confidence in the artificial intelligence
trade. Bitcoin advanced
2026-08-24
The final stretch of a jittery week on Wall Street saw stocks rising amid solid economic data,
with traders weighing the outlook for bonds after a burst of volatility.
Equities extended their August advance as US business activity grew at its fastest pace in more than four years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1%. The Nasdaq 100 halted a five-day drop in the countdown to Nvidia Corp.’s results on Wednesday. Bitcoin rose to around $77,000. Treasuries saw mild losses. Oil notched a weekly gain
Stocks fell at the start of a pivotal week for markets, with the artificial intelligence trade under
pressure ahead of key tech earnings and the Federal Reserve’s annual gathering. Treasuries rose as oil fell.
2026-08-21
A rally in bonds fizzled out and stocks fell on bets the Treasury’s plan to curb borrowing costs isjust a short-term fix, with higher energy prices stoking worries about inflation.
Thirty-year yields rose even as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent flagged a bigger buyback potential and an upcoming fiscal plan. The S&P 500 lost 0.9%, with Walmart Inc. sinking the most since 2022 on disappointing sales. Oil settled near $88 as President Donald Trump’s threat to crush the Iranian economy clouded peace prospects. Bitcoin topped $72,000
Treasuries stabilized after two days of whipsaw trading as investors questioned whether US
efforts to contain long-term borrowing costs through buybacks would offer more than a temporary reprieve. The dollar weakened.
2026-08-20
Treasuries extended gains fueled by US plans to buy back longer-maturity debt, boosting sentiment and lifting Asian bonds and stocks. The dollar steadied after sliding to a three-month low.
The US 30-year yield fell one basis point to 5.18% after sliding nine basis points on Wednesday. The benchmark 10-year yield dropped by a similar amount to 4.63%, extending its six-basis-point decline in the previous session. A Bloomberg index of Treasuries due in 20 years and above had jumped 1.7% Wednesday, its biggest one-day gain since February 2025.
Bonds in Japan, Australia and New Zealand also rose after the US Treasury said it would at least double the size of its bond buybacks, which would curb yields on long-term bonds that had climbed to multi-decade highs.
2026-08-18
Stocks joined bonds lower on concern that elevated oil prices will fuel inflation amid dimming
hopes for a deal to end the Iran war.
Those worries sent equities further away from their all-time highs, with declines in most S&P 500 companies overshadowing an advance in chipmakers. Brent crude settled near $91 a barrel, spurring speculation that inflationary pressures could make the Federal Reserve raise rates before the year is over. Treasury 30-year yields hit the highest level since 2007
Treasuries extended recent declines and Asian bonds followed as concerns over US government spending and a flood of long-dated debt weighed on sentiment, while higher oil prices stoked fears of inflation. Stocks and equity futures both fell
2026-08-17
Stocks fell from a record after the economy’s main engine showed signs of cooling, overshadowing optimism around bets the Federal Reserve will stay on hold in September.
While declines in consumer sentiment and retail sales eased fears of an imminent rate hike, they hardly bode well for Corporate America. The S&P 500 lost 0.2%. But it managed to notch a third straight week of gains, the longest winning run since May. Despite the disappointing data, bonds fell as oil rose after the US threatened to impose economic measures on Iran.
The dollar fell against most of its major peers after weak US economic data reduced bets on a
Federal Reserve interest-rate hike next month.
2026-08-14
Wall Street traders drove stocks higher and bond yields fell as more evidence of moderating
inflation reinforced bets the Federal Reserve will refrain from raising interest rates next
month.
Back-to-back gains in equities drove the S&P 500 to a record. The Nasdaq 100 added 1.15%.
Money markets priced in less than a 40% chance of a September Fed hike. While Treasuries
rose, the US sold 30-year bonds at the highest rate in a quarter of a century — a testament to
investors’ demand for compensation to financethe nation’s deficit. Oil dropped to around $81
Global stocks headed for a third straight weekly gain as investors returned to the artificial
intelligence trade and cooling US inflation bolstered bets that the Federal Reserve would
refrain from raising interest rates.
2026-08-13
Stocks rose to a striking distance of a record after the latest inflation report matched expectations, easing concerns about imminent Federal Reserve rate increases.
The data brought some relief to Wall Street traders worried about geopolitical risks, with the S&P 500 extending its August advance. A rally in giant chipmakers also helped sentiment, driving the Nasdaq 100 to a one-month high. Short-dated Treasuries outperformed. Money markets are pricing in less than a 50% chance of a September Fed hike. US crude settled around $83.
Global stocks climbed toward a record and bonds extended gains as a subdued US inflation
report eased concerns about an imminent interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
2026-08-12
Wall Street traders refrained from making riskier bets before key inflation data, with stocks falling as the lack of a deal to restore energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz lifted oil prices.
US crude settled near $83 as Iran reiterated plans to keep the waterway shut until its demands are met. Oil had earlier dropped after Pakistan signaled optimism about some sort of arrangement over Hormuz. The S&P 500 extended its retreat from record highs. Treasuries edged up ahead of a report that’s expected to show moderation in consumer prices.
Asian stocks rose and US equity-index futures advanced as strong earnings from technology
companies lured investors back into the artificial intelligence trade.
2026-08-11
A rally in oil prices left stocks wavering while bond yields climbed, with trader anxiety building
just days ahead of key inflation reports.
The lack of a deal to revive the Strait of Hormuz drove Brent crude above $87. Higher energy costs stoked concerns the Federal Reserve will have to raise rates this year despite a labor-market slowdown. Most shares in the S&P 500 fell. Nvidia Corp. sank on news reports that Wall Street giants are working with the chipmaker on a $500 billion AI funding package.
Government bonds in Asia Pacific followed Treasuries lower as a rally in oil prices revived
inflation concerns ahead of key US consumer price data later this week.
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