All 3 Major U.S. Stock Indexes Rise, with Nasdaq Posting the Biggest Rebound as Oil Prices Fall
이 포스팅은 쿠팡 파트너스 활동의 일환으로, 이에 따른 일정액의 수수료를 제공받습니다.
2026-08-26 As of 9:29 a.m. Korea time, the Dow Jones, S&P500, and Nasdaq had all closed higher in the previous U.S. trading session. International oil prices and long-term U.S. Treasury yields declined, while semiconductor and AI-related stocks rebounded from the previous day's weakness. The Nasdaq posted the largest percentage gain of the three indexes. However, it is still too early to conclude from a single day's rebound that tensions in the Middle East or concerns about oil prices have disappeared.
How Much Did the Dow, S&P500, and Nasdaq Rise?
In the U.S. stock market on August 25, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.30%, the S&P500 gained approximately 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced approximately 0.7%. The Nasdaq closed at 2 6,151.30, making the rebound in technology stocks the most pronounced movement among the three indexes.
| Index | August 25 Close | Daily Change |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 53,577.40 | +0.30% |
| S&P500 | Around 7,677 | Approximately +0.3% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 26,151.30 | Approximately +0.7% |
The source materials reported S&P500 closing values of 7,677.24 and 7,677.28, a discrepancy of 0.04 points. Therefore, this article uses around 7,677, the level consistently supported by the sources. The closing values for the Dow and Nasdaq were identical across different sources.
The significance of this movement becomes clearer when compared with the previous day. On August 24, technology stocks weakened, the Nasdaq fell 0.75%, and the S&P500 declined 0.37%, while the Dow rose 0.45%. In the following trading session, both the Nasdaq and S&P500 reversed direction and closed higher, leaving all three indexes in positive territory.
Author's calculation: The change in the Nasdaq's daily percentage return was `+0.66% - (-0.75%) = +1.41% percentage points`, while the corresponding change for the S&P500 was `+0.32% - (-0.37%) = +0.69% percentage points`. These figures do not mean the indexes themselves rose by those amounts in a single day. Rather, they compare how much the direction and magnitude of daily returns changed from the previous session.
Why Should Falling International Oil Prices Be Considered Alongside Stock Market Performance?
One of the most notable developments in the market that day, alongside rising stocks, was the decline in international oil prices. Brent crude fell 3.6% to USD 87.27 per barrel, while intraday data from a U.S. exchange also showed WTI crude declining to the low USD 82-per-barrel range.
Oil prices matter because energy costs are linked to inflation and the bond market. On that day, the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note declined from 4.70% late in the previous session to 4.63%. With both oil prices and long-term interest rates moving lower, pressure on the stock market appeared to ease compared with the previous day.
An intraday market update from the New York Stock Exchange also confirmed that the technology sector was leading the market as Brent crude fell by more than 3% and long-term bond yields declined. However, because this update described intraday conditions, it should be distinguished from the final closing values of the indexes.
Interpreting falling oil prices as immediate evidence that geopolitical risks have been resolved would go too far. Tensions involving the United States and Iran continued to be discussed on August 25, even as oil prices experienced substantial fluctuations. Therefore, the facts currently supported by the available information are limited to oil prices falling while bond yields and stock prices moved in directions favorable to equities on the same day.
The Technology Stock Rebound Was Not Limited to Nvidia
Among technology stocks, Nvidia rose 2.2%, Meta gained approximately 2%, and Micron advanced 2.5%. The Philadelphia semiconductor-related index also climbed 1.4%, while AMD gained 4.9%. In other words, the semiconductor stocks that had suffered significant weakness the previous day rebounded across multiple companies simultaneously.
In particular, the semiconductor index rose 1.4% after falling 2.7% on August 24. Although the one-day gain did not fully recover the previous day's losses, it confirmed a change in technology stocks' contribution to the broader market: instead of dragging indexes lower as they had the day before, they were helping push them higher.
Nvidia, for example, fell 2.9% the previous day before rebounding 2.2% in the following session. A simple comparison shows that the rebound percentage was smaller than the previous day's decline, meaning the stock cannot be considered to have returned fully to its price level from two days earlier.
For example, if a stock starts at 100 and falls 2.9%, its price becomes 97.1. If it then rises 2.2%, the price reaches approximately 99.24. Author's calculation: `100 × 0.971 × 1.022 ≈ 99.24`. Because percentage gains and losses are applied to different starting prices, the actual cumulative return differs slightly from simply adding the percentages as `-2.9% + 2.2% = -0.7%`.
How Should Investors Interpret the Nasdaq's Outperformance?
When the Nasdaq records the largest gain among the three major indexes, examining which stocks and sectors drove the movement provides a more accurate picture than looking at the overall index alone. On this trading day, semiconductor and AI-related stocks, including Nvidia, Micron, and AMD, advanced as technology shares recovered from the previous day's weakness.
The Nasdaq Composite is a broad index covering companies listed on the Nasdaq stock market. The official Nasdaq index page for August 25 also confirms the Nasdaq Composite value of 26,151.30.
However, the Nasdaq's rise cannot be explained solely by falling international oil prices. Changes in oil prices and bond yields occurred alongside the technology stock rebound during the same trading session. Investors were also closely watching the upcoming Nvidia earnings announcement. Selecting just one of these simultaneous developments and declaring it the sole cause would go beyond what the available source materials establish.
What Should Investors Check First in the Next U.S. Trading Session?
To determine whether this rally will continue, it is more practical to compare developments in the following order: oil prices → long-term bond yields → technology stocks, rather than focusing exclusively on the indexes themselves. On August 25, all three factors moved in directions more favorable to equities than on the previous day, making it important to see whether that combination persists in the next trading session.
First, investors should check whether Brent and WTI crude prices surge again. If oil prices rise sharply, the inflation and long-term interest rate pressures that have recently attracted market attention will also need to be reassessed.
Second, attention should turn to the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note. Although it declined from 4.70% to 4.63% on August 25, it remained at an elevated level. A single day's decline does not mean that interest rate pressures have disappeared.
Third, investors should examine whether gains in semiconductor stocks remain concentrated in Nvidia or extend to Micron, AMD, and the broader semiconductor index. Because several semiconductor stocks advanced together during this session, monitoring the sector as a whole in the next session would provide a more useful perspective.
Finally, the market's reaction following Nvidia's earnings announcement needs to be evaluated separately. The gains on August 25 occurred before the earnings release, so subsequent movements in Nvidia shares and the Nasdaq are not reflected in these closing results.
Can This Rally Be Considered a Trend Reversal?
What can currently be confirmed is that all 3 major New York stock market indexes rose on August 25, oil prices and long-term bond yields declined, and technology stocks rebounded from the previous day's weakness. There is still insufficient evidence to conclude from this single day's movement that a medium-term upward trend has resumed.
In fact, the market has recently experienced substantial changes in direction from one day to the next. The Nasdaq and S&P500 declined on August 24, only for both indexes to rise the following day. AI and semiconductor stocks, in particular, experienced relatively large daily fluctuations. Comparing market movements over several days is therefore more appropriate for understanding current conditions than focusing on a single trading session.
For Korean investors monitoring U.S. stocks, examining whether oil prices continue to decline, whether the 10-year Treasury yield rises again, and whether the semiconductor sector sustains its gains provides more useful information than simply noting that 'all 3 major indexes rose.' Investment decisions should not be based solely on one day's index movements. Subsequent announcements and changes in market prices should also be reviewed.
※ This article is provided for informational purposes to help readers understand market developments and does not constitute an investment recommendation for any particular stock or asset. Final investment decisions and responsibility rest with the individual investor.
Related Articles
Nasdaq Opens 0.9% Higher in New York Trading: Why CPI 3.4% Reassured Investors
U.S. Stocks Open Lower as 10-Year Treasury Yield Reaches 4.698% and Walmart Plunges 8.6%
이 포스팅은 쿠팡 파트너스 활동의 일환으로, 이에 따른 일정액의 수수료를 제공받습니다.