Your Weekly Market Wrap-Up

17th - 21st August 2026

Global Highlights

U.S. Markets

Major U.S. indexes closed lower as higher Treasury yields, U.S.–Iran tensions, and oil spikes weighed on sentiment. Weakness in semiconductors and AI shares added pressure. Fed minutes highlighted an uncertain inflation outlook with upside risks, reinforcing expectations for a cautious policy stance amid resilient growth.

European Markets

European equities ended the week lower amid a global bond selloff, inflation concerns, and geopolitical uncertainty over U.S.–Iran relations. However, the eurozone flash composite PMI rose to 52.1 in August, beating expectations and July’s 52, signalling improving business activity despite near-term market volatility.

Asian Markets

Japan’s stocks fell sharply as the 10-year JGB yield hit a 30-year high near 2.93% on BoJ tightening expectations and fiscal worries. China’s Shanghai Composite declined as July industrial output grew 4.5% YoY, below forecasts, though high-tech production remained resilient.

Weekly Spotlights

The U.S. Treasury will boost purchases of off-the-run 10–30-year securities from $2 billion to at least $4 billion per operation starting September 9. While this may ease technical pressures, it does not address broader drivers of higher yields, including deficits and term premium.

Market Performance

Asset Name Weekly Closing Level Weekly % Return
S&P 500 7,674.37 -1.43%
DJIA (Dow Jones) 53,277.01 -0.85%
Nasdaq Composite 26,180.46 -2.05%
Nikkei 225 66,016.36 -4.26%
FTSE 100 10,816.56 0.62%
Shanghai Composite 3,905.20 -0.56%
Sensex (BSE) 77,540.83 -0.60%
ADX Index (UAE) 10,004.43 -0.43%
Gold 4,661.60 5.05%
Brent Oil (USD/bbl) 92.67 4.69%

Outlook

August–September are seasonally weaker for stocks, with added uncertainty into the midterm elections. We view pullbacks as opportunities to add to equities, emphasising diversification across U.S. large/mid-caps, global and emerging markets, and international value. In bonds, favour short-dated and longer-dated investment-grade exposure.

Need Help Navigating the Next Half?

Let our investment specialists help you tailor your portfolio for what’s ahead.

Get started →

Disclaimer

This commentary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. For detailed insights, contact our investment team.