US stock market summary - Aug 26, 2026

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 US stocks closed modestly lower on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in a quiet, choppy session as investors digested slightly hotter-than-expected inflation data and awaited Nvidia’s after-hours earnings report.

Closing Levels

IndexCloseChange% Change
Dow Jones53,463.88–113.52–0.21%
S&P 5007,675.70–1.58–0.02%
Nasdaq Composite26,130.20–21.10–0.08%
Russell 20003,005.90–4.12–0.1%

The S&P 500 remains near its all-time high (set earlier in August). Year-to-date, the S&P 500 is up about 12.1%, the Dow about 11.2%, and the Nasdaq about 12.4%.

Key Drivers

  • Inflation data: July PCE (the Fed’s preferred gauge) rose 0.2% month-over-month (vs. 0.1% expected) and 3.7% year-over-year (vs. 3.6% expected). Core PCE was unchanged at 3.3% YoY. This kept rate-hike expectations elevated, with traders still largely pricing in a possible Fed hike by year-end. Treasury yields ticked higher.
  • Nvidia earnings: The semiconductor giant reported after the close. Results showed strong growth (sales and EPS up sharply), and shares moved higher in after-hours trading in some reports.
  • Other notable moves:
    • Abercrombie & Fitch surged ~36% after beating earnings and raising full-year guidance.
    • Meta Platforms traded higher (around +1%) after agreeing to a large (~$17–18 billion) settlement with states over child-safety concerns on its platforms and adding related measures.
    • Snap fell ~8–9% amid a related Pennsylvania lawsuit.
    • Some tech names (including certain Magnificent 7 stocks) were under pressure earlier on rate concerns.

Energy and industrials were among the stronger sectors during the day; materials and healthcare lagged in some reports. Oil prices slipped, and gold was lower.

Overall, the market showed limited direction as participants stayed cautious ahead of Nvidia’s results, which remain a key catalyst for AI-related stocks and the broader tech sector.

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