Market Week: March 9th, 2026
The Markets (as of market close March 6, 2026)
Stocks ended last week sharply lower, impacted by renewed inflation and geopolitical events. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here ended the week lower, while crude oil prices surged to the highest levels since August 2022, as intensifying tensions in the Middle East disrupted global energy trade. Higher energy costs triggered a move from risk, with industrials, consumer staples, and materials being hit the hardest. Surging oil prices also spiked inflation fears, while the labor sector continued to lag (see below). With last week’s decline, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ each retreated to year-to-date lows.
Market Week: March 2, 2026
The Markets (as of market close February 27, 2026)
The last week of the month proved to be a tough one for Wall Street. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed the week lower, impacted by stubborn inflation and a cooling of major tech and AI stocks. The Producer Price Index rose faster than in the previous two months (see below), which fueled fears that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates at their current level for longer than investors hoped. Geopolitical risks provided a backdrop of uncertainty. U.S.-Iran tensions escalated, which directly impacted crude oil prices. Financials and information technology were laggards among the market sectors, while defensive sectors, such as consumer staples, utilities, and health care, outperformed.
Market Week: February 23, 2026
The Markets (as of market close February 20, 2026)
U.S. equities spent most of last week trending lower, ultimately rebounding in a major way last Friday to
close the week higher. Investors were in a “risk-off” mode as inflation rose while economic growth slowed notably. However, Wall Street reacted favorably to Friday’s Supreme Court ruling against President Trump’s tariffs. The S&P 500 surged to a one-week high, closing above 6,900, while the Dow pushed past 49,600. The tech-heavy NASDAQ snapped a five-week losing streak. Several market sectors gained more than 2.0% for the week, including industrials, communication services, and utilities. Consumer staples was the only market sector to end last week lower. Last week also proved to be dynamic for fixed income, with Treasury yields breaking their recent downtrends and moving slightly higher
Market Week: February 17, 2026
The Markets (as of market close February 13, 2026)
Investors experienced another turbulent week for U.S. stocks last week, although a fairly mild inflation
report brought the market some relief on Friday (see below). The S&P 500 had it’s worst week since
November, and the Global Dow was the only major market index that didn’t end up in the red. Fears about AI disruption spread to more industries seen as potentially vulnerable. Investors fled to defensive sectors such as utilities, materials, and real estate, which all posted strong weekly gains, leaving the financial services, communication services, and information technology sectors with sharp losses. Safe haven seekers pushed the yield on 10-year Treasuries, which falls when prices rise, down to its lowest level since November 28.
Market Week: February 9, 2026
The Markets (as of market close February 6, 2026)
Last week was defined by volatility as stocks whipsawed between deep, tech-led losses and a late-week
rally. Wall Street experienced a mid-week selloff as investors moved away from tech and AI shares.
Investors were also concerned about a drop in job openings (see below) and a rise in jobless claims (see
below). A surge last Friday pared losses and even helped push the Dow past the 50,000 mark. U.S. bond
markets saw prices edge slightly higher, pulling yields lower. The market sectors experienced extreme
differences, with consumer staples, industrials, and energy surging, while consumer discretionary,
information technology, and communication services closed sharply in the red.
Market Week: February 2, 2026
The Markets (as of market close January 30, 2026)
Equities ended the week mostly lower as investors parsed through a heavy slate of fourth-quarter earnings data, economic reports, high valuations, and the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain interest rates at their current levels. Several of the benchmark indexes hit notable highs midweek, with the S&P 500 surpassing the 7,000 level. Nevertheless, stocks generally retreated by the close of trading last Friday, with only the S&P 500 and the Global Dow able to end the week higher. Seven of the 11 market sectors closed the week higher, led by communication services and energy. Of the remaining sectors, health care saw the largest decline. Ten-year Treasury yields and the dollar were relatively unchanged from the previous week. Crude oil prices continued to trend higher, supported by rising geopolitical tensions.
Market Week: January 26, 2026
The Markets (as of market close January 23, 2026)
Last week was marked by volatility as investors moved cautiously ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. Wall Street struggled to find direction amidst tariff concerns and geopolitical tensions, resulting in sharp moves in key sectors, with several major market indexes ultimately ending the week lower. The Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ declined for the second straight week, impacted by disappointing corporate forecasts and geopolitical uncertainty. Toward the end of the week, a rebound in big tech, coupled with positive economic data, helped offset early-week losses. Among the market sectors, energy, materials, and consumer staples outperformed, while financials, information technology, industrials, and utilities lagged. Crude oil prices extended gains for the fifth consecutive week, supported by geopolitical and supply risks.
Market Week: January 19, 2026
The Markets (as of market close January 16, 2026)
The U.S. stock market endured quite a bit of volatility last week. A rally last Thursday wasn’t enough to prevent the three major market indexes, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ, from closing in the red. The Global Dow and the small caps of the Russell 2000 posted modest gains by last week’s end. After starting the week with mixed to higher returns, results turned choppy mid-week before Thursday’s rebound. Friday saw stocks tick lower. Consumer staples, industrials, and real estate led the market sectors, while financials underperformed. Last week marked the start of fourth-quarter earnings season, which delivered mixed results from some major banks, although the semiconductor sector provided a major boost. Investors had to decipher plenty of economic news and data, including a pending tariff ruling by the Supreme Court, domestic and international upheaval, the Justice Department’s investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and inflation data that was unchanged on its face, but showed rising shelter prices, food costs, and energy prices. Crude oil prices rose for the second straight week, influenced by lingering geopolitical risks versus easing fears of an immediate U.S. strike on Iran.
Market Week: January 12, 2026
The Markets (as of market close January 9, 2026)
Wall Street responded to mixed economic data by closing higher last week. The Dow reached a record high, ending the week well above the 49,000 milestone, surpassing that mark for the first time in its history. Investors were not deterred by a rather lukewarm jobs report, as the S&P 500 closed at a new record high, while a mid-week profit-taking in tech and AI stocks wasn’t enough to prevent the NASDAQ from also closing notably higher. The Russell 2000, which is reactive to industrials, healthcare, and financials, outperformed the larger-cap indexes. Nine of the 11 market sectors ended the week higher, led by materials, industrials, and energy. Information technology and utilities closed marginally in the red. Ten-year Treasury yields ticked lower. Crude oil prices inched higher as markets responded to unrest in Iran and continued uncertainty over the Venezuelan crude oil supply.
Market Week: January 5, 2026
The Markets (as of market close January 2, 2026)
Wall Street began 2026 in rather lackluster style, with each of the major benchmark indexes listed here closing the week lower, with the exception of the Global Dow. A brief tech rally last Friday wasn’t enough to prevent stocks from closing the week in the red. The common year-end rally, known as the “Santa Claus rally,” never materialized as the market notched four straight losing sessions to close out December. Investors appear to be exercising caution as they await the Federal Reserve’s next move in response to sticky inflation and a cooling labor market. Among the 11 S&P 500 market sectors, only energy, utilities, industrials, and materials moved higher, while consumer discretionary, information technology, and financials saw associated stocks fall the furthest. Ten-year Treasury yields edged slightly higher, reflecting ongoing fiscal and inflation concerns. Crude oil prices ticked higher, while gold prices edged lower.