Posts made in September 2026

Stocks fell over a shortened trading week as higher oil prices rattled investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.80 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index edged down 0.66 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.57 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, skidded 1.39 percent.^1,2

Sluggish Start

Stocks fell in response to higher oil prices at Tuesday’s opening bell as investors returned from the long Labor Day weekend. Investors kept one eye on diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and another on fresh inflation reports due out later in the week.³

Stocks were under pressure again on Wednesday as oil prices continued climbing. After the Treasury Department announced it was tripling its long-dated debt buyback program (to as much as $6 billion), the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to a 3-year high. Investors continued to fret over inflation as the week progressed, putting further pressure on stocks.^4,5

On Friday, stocks rebounded after news that annualized inflation held steady in August, puzzling some who expected stocks to decline. Oil prices fell, and markets rebounded to finish a tough week on an upbeat note.⁶

Footnotes And Sources

<sup>1. WSJ.com, September 11, 2026
2. Investing.com, September 11, 2026
3. CNBC.com, September 8, 2026
4. CNBC.com, September 9, 2026
5. CNBC.com, September 9, 2026
6. WSJ.com, September 11, 2026</sup>

Stocks were mixed last week as markets continued to navigate geopolitical concerns and new signals about short-term interest rates.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index edged up 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.40 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.27 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, skidded 0.25 percent.^1,2

Summer’s Final Act

Stocks fell modestly, and oil prices rose at the start of the week after renewed tensions in the Middle East put investors on edge. Longer-maturity Treasury bond yields also rose, adding pressure on stocks.³

Stocks remained under pressure as global bond yields rose, with traders fretting that higher oil prices would stoke broader inflation. Benchmark government bond yields for the U.S., Germany, and Japan hit 20-month, 15-year, and 30-year highs, respectively.³

But midweek, stocks rebounded after Fed Governor Christopher Waller suggested that the Fed might leave interest rates unchanged at its meeting later this month. Each major average gained 1 percent or more.^4,5

Before Friday’s opening, the Labor Department’s nonfarm payrolls report showed job growth was stronger than expected in August. Stocks were under pressure all day as traders saw the job report as a reason that the Fed might consider adjusting rates later this month.⁶

Footnotes And Sources

<sup>1. WSJ.com, September 4, 2026
2. Investing.com, September 4, 2026
3. CNBC.com, September 1, 2026
4. CNBC.com, September 2, 2026
5. CNBC.com, September 3, 2026
6. WSJ.com, September 2, 2026</sup>