MARKET RECAP
U.S. stocks posted solid weekly gains for the period ending July 31, 2026, with the S&P 500 rising approximately 1.05% from its prior Friday close of 7,411.98 to 7,489.72, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advancing about 1.04% from 51,947.25 to 52,485.03, and the Nasdaq Composite climbing roughly 1.59% from 24,975.82 to 25,373.85. The advance came after a choppy session that included a midweek pullback tied to the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates steady amid ongoing inflation concerns, followed by a rebound fueled by strong earnings from major technology names.
International stocks, tracked via the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) as a broad proxy, gained about 1.43% over the same Friday-to-Friday span, closing near $84.59 after starting the week around $83.40. Overseas markets showed resilience despite mixed regional results and lingering global uncertainties.
In fixed income, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield moved higher, finishing the week near 4.75% after starting around 4.68–4.69% the prior Friday, while the 30-year yield rose from about 5.16% to 5.27%. The increases reflected renewed investor focus on inflation risks and the path of monetary policy. New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s post-meeting press conference on July 29 drew a sharp market reaction: equities sold off heavily that day (with the Dow dropping more than 2% and the S&P 500 falling about 1.5%), longer-term yields spiked to multi-year highs as traders questioned the Fed’s resolve on inflation, and the yield curve steepened while near-term rate-hike odds declined.
Bitcoin declined over the week, falling from levels near $64,100–$64,200 to roughly $62,880–$62,900 (a drop of around 2–3.5%), while gold prices were little changed to slightly lower, ending near $4,040–$4,050 after trading in a similar range the previous Friday.
Overall, the week delivered a modest recovery for equities after recent softness, supported by corporate results, even as higher yields, the bond market’s response to Warsh’s remarks, and softer performance in cryptocurrencies highlighted persistent caution around inflation and risk assets.
SCOREBOARD
