Posts made in August 2026

Weekly Market Insights | Stocks Have Best Week in Four Months

Stocks bolted ahead last week as investors cheered the last big week of Q2 corporate reports and a Friday jobs update that put the spotlight on the Fed’s next move with short-term rates.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 3.57 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 5.19 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.96 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 2.32 percent.^1,2

Best Week in Nearly 4 Months

Stocks opened the week strong as oil prices slid on news of diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. Big Tech led, which helped push the Dow Industrials to a record close.³

Investor optimism continued to build on Tuesday as stocks opened higher and climbed throughout the day. Strong Q2 corporate reports added fuel to the rally, lifting all three averages into a second day of robust gains.⁴

Markets opened higher on Wednesday but lost momentum as the day progressed. On Thursday, oil prices crept higher, and stocks went sideways as investors awaited updates on the Middle East and digested the final big trove of Q2 corporate results.^5,6

Then, on Friday, an unexpected contraction in the labor market boosted stocks as investors hoped the jobs data might influence the Fed’s outlook for short-term rates.

Each major average logged its best weekly gain since mid-April.⁷

Footnotes And Sources

^{1. WSJ.com, August 7, 2026

2. Investing.com, August 7, 2026

3. CNBC.com, August 3, 2026

4. CNBC.com, August 4, 2026

5. CNBC.com, August 5, 2026

6. CNBC.com, August 6, 2026

7. WSJ.com, August 7, 2026}

Weekly Market Insights | Stocks Have Best Week in Four Months

Stocks bolted ahead last week as investors cheered the last big week of Q2 corporate reports and a Friday jobs update that put the spotlight on the Fed’s next move with short-term rates.

Best Week in Nearly 4 Months

Stocks opened the week strong as oil prices slid on news of diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. Big Tech led, which helped push the Dow Industrials to a record close.³

Then, on Friday, an unexpected contraction in the labor market boosted stocks as investors hoped the jobs data might influence the Fed’s outlook for short-term rates.

Each major average logged its best weekly gain since mid-April.⁷

Footnotes And Sources

Weekly Market Insights | Stocks Rally After Fed Hold

Stocks pushed through another volatile summer week as diverging Q2 corporate reports and the Fed’s rate decision whipsawed prices.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.05 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.59 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.04 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased 2.13 percent.^1,2

Tech Stocks Steal Spotlight

Chip stocks were under pressure at the start of the week as investors fretted over fresh competition from China and higher-than-expected AI capital expenditures. But the Dow pushed higher as oil prices slid and investors rotated out of technology.^3,4

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve said it was holding interest rates steady, a move that was initially well received by markets. But as the day progressed, selling picked up as investors expressed concern that the Fed was not doing enough to battle inflation.⁵

Markets rebounded on Thursday with semiconductors and big-tech names leading the way. The Nasdaq rose nearly 3 percent, ending its 6-day losing streak.^6,7

Momentum from Thursday’s rally extended into Friday. Markets rose at open despite diverging Q2 earnings results from two influential tech companies. While it wasn’t a straight line, all three major averages built on gains throughout the day to end the week higher.⁸

Footnotes And Sources

^{1. WSJ.com, July 31, 2026}
^{2. Investing.com, July 31, 2026}
^{3. CNBC.com, July 27, 2026}
^{4. CNBC.com, July 28, 2026}
^{5. WSJ.com, July 29, 2026}
^{6. CNBC.com, July 30, 2026}
^{7. WSJ.com, July 30, 2026}
^{8. CNBC.com, July 31, 2026}