8-20-2026: Middle East Tensions, Treasury Buybacks + Crypto's Big Comeback
Market Storylines
•
9m 5s
Michael Reinking, Senior Market Strategist at the NYSE, recaps a week dominated by Treasury Secretary Bessent, whose doubled liquidity support buybacks reignited the debasement trade, sending gold back above 4,500 and triggering a massive crypto short squeeze that propelled Bitcoin up ~15% and Ethereum up 25%. Escalating Iran tensions pushed ICE Brent into the low 90s after a 60-day ceasefire expired, while equity markets drifted lower with the S&P 500 down ~1.5% as retail earnings disappointed broadly and healthcare surged nearly 4% on landmark cancer trial results from Merck and Moderna. Looking ahead, next week's PCE print, Nvidia earnings, and Fed Chair Warsh's first Jackson Hole speech are the marquee events to watch.
Up Next in Market Storylines
-
8-13-2026: Tight Ranges, Falling Yiel...
Eric Criscuolo, Market Strategist at the NYSE, reviews a quiet week on Wall Street marked by tight trading ranges, cooling inflation, and a major new AI financing development. The S&P 500 consolidated near all-time highs before breaking through 7,800 for the first time on Thursday, lifted in part...
-
8-6-2026: Tech Breakout, Hyperscalers...
Michael Reinking, Senior Market Strategist at the NYSE, reviews a pivotal week in which the S&P 500 broke above its May-July trading range near 7,600, driven by strong Q2 earnings, easing oil prices, and mispositioning in tech that sparked a broad-based rally. Hyperscalers led the charge as inves...
-
7-30-2026: Tech Reprices Lower, Earni...
Eric Criscuolo, Market Strategist at the NYSE, reviews a market shaped by continued AI-driven volatility, rising Treasury yields, and renewed uncertainty following the Federal Reserve meeting. While semiconductor and AI hardware stocks remained under pressure, the equal-weight S&P 500 reached a r...
