Dow outperforms as Wall Street rises, healthcare stocks lead gains
By Sinéad Carew and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi
Tue October 20, 2026
It was yet another one of those days where concerns over AI’s potential profitability due to its excessive debt load sent the tech investors into cautionary mode with the Nasdaq not moving the needle much and closing flat while the S&P enjoyed a 60 point gain until 11 a.m., then plummeting and staying down the rest of the session to close modestly up.
Nasdaq climbs as chip and AI-linked stocks bounce back
By Sinéad Carew and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi
Mon October 19, 2026
Today’s expert put it best. “Nothing changed between Friday’s close and this morning’s open, other than nothing bad happened over the weekend, and sentiment had gotten so negative that we were oversold to the point that a bounce was due.” And that’s exactly what happened in tech and particularly AI as monies flowed steadily back into both the Nasdaq and S&P. And as is usually the case, the monies came out of industrials and the defensive sectors. There were handsome gains all around and the Dow, though closing nominally in the red, bounced back and forth between a minus 140 and a plus 130.
Wall Street tumbles as worries about AI trade and high oil prices weigh
By Noel Randewich and Purvi
Agarwal
Fri October 16, 2026
Today, a 3% jump in oil prices combined with serious concerns over debt-laden AI pushed all the indexes straight down in a big way, especially the Nasdaq that lost 572 points and dove 4% for the week, its sharpest fall since June and the S&P its sharpest since January. The AI companies have all cratered under all the debt pressure and the likelihood that all that debt will soon become even more expensive.
S&P 500 ends higher as traders shift from AI to healthcare
By Noel Randewich and Sruthi
Shankar
Thu October 15, 2026
PPI came in today with the worst increase in 4-1/2 years providing even more fuel to Wednesday’s hot CPI readings on the inflation. This further aggravated all the concerns about inflation, particularly with the AI stocks which, with the prospect of higher interest rates, would be seriously impacted due to their extraordinary debt loads. So there was a rotation back to standard industrials which saw the Dow skyrocket 556 points while the tech indexes both tanked, the Nasdaq diving almost 400 points at open but gradually recovering these losses to even see a little green by close.
Nasdaq ends sharply lower as hot inflation data stirs rate-hike worries
Wed October 14, 2026
The surging costs of gasoline and more took today’s CPI to bigger heights than expected and that sent all of tech into a major downward spiral from the open and steadily down all day. The Nasdaq lost over 500, the S&P nearly 100. This has greatly bolstered bets for a very unwanted October rate hike, up to a whopping 37% in one day vs Wednesday’s 22% vs a mere 17% last Friday, odds doubling in one week.
Nasdaq ends down as chipmakers fall and bank earnings roll in
Tue October 13, 2026
The big banks missed estimates in today’s Q3 reporting and that sent all three indexes down, the Dow logically hit the heaviest down 3-digits. But earlier the tech indexes were hit much heavier, the Nasdaq down 130 by noon but then recovering to much more modest losses by close. Ditto for the S&P. What didn’t make sense is that both Citi and Goldman Sachs beat estimates but still fell. And despite expectations of a strong Q3, the S&P is trading at 19x, its lowest multiple in three years.
Nasdaq falls ahead of earnings, economic data while oil rallies
By Sinéad Carew and Ragini
Mathur
Mon October 12, 2026
Because of weekend attacks on Saudi Arabia, the price of oil shot up over $2/barrel which shot the Dow way up and the tech indexes way down. Though an 11th hour rally allowed the S&P to close flat, both the Dow and Nasdaq moved by 3-digits. But Tuesday begins Q3 reporting so Friday’s big optimistic rally got reversed to some cautionary sell off today not only awaiting big bank results but also new data on consumer and producer inflation as well as retail sales.
