S&P 500, Nasdaq end sharply lower as revived AI doubts ignite tech selloff

S&P 500, Nasdaq end sharply lower as revived AI doubts ignite tech selloff

By Stephen Culp and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi

Thu October 22, 2026

 

I noted on Wednesday that, at least for one day, AI was back in favor. But today was indeed another day and a spate of depressing Q3 tech reports, especially in AI, brought all the old fears right back to the front burner. The S&P fell dramatically but not nearly as bad as the Nasdaq which suffered its biggest loss since June. In fact, the chip index is now down 26% from its June record high. But this whole environment is neatly summed up by today’s expert, “It’s a wonderful day on Wall Street. The only part of the market that is really suffering is technology, which had been the golden child until June.  

Nasdaq leads Wall Street gains as SpaceX, Super Micro boost AI sentiment

Nasdaq leads Wall Street gains as SpaceX, Super Micro boost AI sentiment

By Sinéad Carew and Purvi Agarwal

Wed October 21, 2026   

It was good news all around today with SpaceX soaring 7.8% on the news of showing its first profits since going public and Super Micro boasting similar glad tidings. The good feelings seeped into other tech companies and particularly AI with HPE and Dell also amongst the day’s winners. This was enough to alleviate the anxieties of AI being overvalued and both tech and industrials shot up a very respectable middle 3-digits with the chip index getting a very nice 2% boost.  

Dow outperforms as Wall Street rises, healthcare stocks lead gains

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

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

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

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

Nasdaq ends sharply lower as hot inflation data stirs rate-hike worries

By Noel Randewich

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

Nasdaq ends down as chipmakers fall and bank earnings roll in

By Noel Randewich

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

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 11^th 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.  

Wall Street posts weekly gains with earnings, inflation data on tap

Wall Street posts weekly gains with earnings, inflation data on tap

By Stephen Culp and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi

Fri October 9, 2026  

All the concerns about inflation, etc went on the back burner today when the markets decided to hang their hat on Q3 optimism with reporting starting with the big banks next week. Right out the gate there was a very substantial rally that shot both the Dow and tech up to very impressive 3-digits again. Trump’s announcement that there will be no more attacks on Iran before the midterms also momentarily relieved war anxieties. All three indexes logged weekly gains and Q3 S&P earnings growth is still expected to top 30%.  

S&P 500, Nasdaq end lower as crude prices jump, chip stocks weigh

S&P 500, Nasdaq end lower as crude prices jump, chip stocks weigh

By Stephen Culp and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi

Thu October 8, 2026  

A combination of oil rigs being shut down as a hurricane precaution plus a smattering of new attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz has shot oil prices up again and again raised the ugly specter of inflation after a brief pause in the last couple of days. Inflation scares always hit tech the hardest and that was certainly the case today.  

Wall Street ends lower, off record highs, as Treasury yields climb

Wall Street ends lower, off record highs, as Treasury yields climb

By Stephen Culp and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi

Wed October 7, 2026  

Inflation concerns are back on the front burner as Treasury yields continue to climb after Tuesday’s brief respite. All the worries that have besieged the markets in recent weeks are back out front today as yields touched a 24-year high. The massive global selloff in the bond markets in recent weeks have particularly rattled investors. Oil prices are getting some relief since the International Energy Agency has sped up the release of stocks. The good news is that the day started much worse, with all three indexes down sharply right out the gate, the Dow at minus-600 at 11 a.m,, the Nasdaq down over 250.  

S&P 500, Nasdaq reach record closing highs as focus pivots to earnings

S&P 500, Nasdaq reach record closing highs as focus pivots to earnings

By Stephen Culp and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi

Tue October 6, 2026  

With more oil flowing from the Middle East and also the Group of Seven nations, the price of crude has been easing and that has triggered an easing in Treasury yields as well, all good news on the inflation front. This created another very nice rally today with another rounds of impressive 3-digit gains in both industrials and tech. The concerns that have been haunting investors in recent weeks (and some might say even months) have begun to abate.  

Nasdaq notches record high close as investors focus on earnings

Nasdaq notches record high close as investors focus on earnings

By Noel Randewich

Mon October 5, 2026  

For a second day, the indexes were straight up out the gate still basking in the good news of optimism that there will be no rate hike in October, reinforced again by continuing falling oil prices with Middle East exports increasing. The soft inflation news as always proved a big boon to the tech sector with the Nasdaq gaining an impressive 3-digits again, closing with still another record high. October rate hike odds have again been lowered, today at a mere 24% vs 70% a week ago.  

Stocks climb after weak US jobs data, but bonds resume selling

Stocks climb after weak US jobs data, but bonds resume selling

By Caroline Valetkevitch and Samuel Indyk

Fri October 2, 2026  

The markets have been looking for signs of inflation easing and they got that today with a government jobs report showing only 1/3 as many new jobs as forecast and additionally a reduction of 30K jobs from August. With the labor market stable but not as hot as expected, this has again lowered the odds of an October rate hike to just 21% vs Thursday’s 28.2% vs 70% earlier in the week. Thus, all the indexes shot way up right out the gate and stayed there all day.  

Equities rebound to close higher as surging Treasury yields recede

Equities rebound to close higher as surging Treasury yields recede

By Chuck Mikolajczak and Johann M Cherian

Thu October 1, 2026  

After spending most of the day in the red, the indexes all rebounded in the afternoon to close just above break-even.  Treasury yields continued to climb with the 10-year hitting a 24-year high. PMI came in 2 points lower than August due to increased input prices which again raises the specter of inflation. In good news, jobless claims dipped 3,000 below the 200,000 forecast indicating a solid job market.  

S&P 500 dips, Nasdaq higher after data shows moderate inflation rise

S&P 500 dips, Nasdaq higher after data shows moderate inflation rise

By Chuck Mikolajczak and Shashwat Chauhan

Wed September 30, 2026  

The Dow took another big drubbing right out the gate but both tech indexes started in very positive territory, the S&P up over 50 points before noon before gradually declining, the Nasdaq up over 400 most of the day before a precipitous decline in the final half hour. What triggered all these great gains was a PCE report coming in well below the forecast, indicating inflation coming down and beating the odds on an October rate hike. The latter started the day at 70% and was cut in half by close. Q2 GDP was also upwardly revised to 2.2% suggesting that the economy is handily absorbing these hikes.  

Stocks dip, 2-year US yield falls after Fed's Williams cools rate hike bets

Stocks dip, 2-year US yield falls after Fed's Williams cools rate hike bets

By Caroline Valetkevitch

Tue September 28, 2026  

As is often the case with the market, things happened today that should have triggered a rally but instead sparked an enormous slump. With the NY Fed prez citing no compelling reasons for another rate hike and the 2-year yield falling, stocks should have gone up. But at least the decline was much worse earlier in the day and most losses were recovered. By noon the Dow was down some 350, the S&P down 30. The afternoon saw a gradual recovery but all three still ended in the red. The comments from the NY prez brought the odds of an October hike down to 50% from 70% this morning.  

Stocks fall; oil prices off highs amid renewed hopes for Middle East negotiations

Stocks fall; oil prices off highs amid renewed hopes for Middle East negotiations

By Caroline Valetkevitch and Amanda Cooper

Mon September 27, 2026  

Friday’s euphoria over progress in the peace talks was short-lived as even that optimism was not enough to overcome the continuing rising oil prices, Treasury yields reaching highs not seen in decades, and now 70% odds of an October rate hike. Thus, the indexes took another big 3-digit plunge today right out the gate and stayed there. The 30-year yield is now at its highest in 22 years, the 10-year in 19 years.  

Wall Street ends higher as investors buy AI stocks; Microsoft rallies

Wall Street ends higher as investors buy AI stocks; Microsoft rallies

By Noel Randewich and Johann M Cherian

Fri September 25, 2026  

For a second day the indexes enjoyed a rising trend with the news of a deal reportedly in progress to phase in the Strait of Hormuz and phase out the U.S. economic and port blockades and maybe the war itself. This news very much bolstered the whole tech sector again with resurgent evidence that investors are putting AI on the front burner again with deals being done and AI expenditures boosting demand for capital goods.