global financial markets experienced a strong risk-on surge led by Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average breached 54,000 for the first time alongside record highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. The market rally was primarily driven by a sharp drop in crude oil prices following easing Middle East geopolitical friction, which alleviated broader inflation fears and pulled global bond yields lower. Robust corporate earnings—particularly across artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud, and defense technology sectors—further fueled market momentum. While North American and European equities posted widespread gains, Asian markets delivered mixed results as profit-taking hit regional tech and semiconductor stocks, and commodities saw crude oil pull back while precious metals stabilized near historic elevated levels.
Global Asset Class Overview (August 4, 2026)
- Global Stocks: Broad upward momentum worldwide led by record-setting gains in North America (+1.3% to +2.6%), modest gains across European markets (+0.2% to +0.9%), and divergent performance across Asian bourses.
- Global Bonds: Government bond yields retreated across major economies as lower energy costs dampened short-term inflation expectations. The U.S. 10-Year Treasury yield eased to 4.68%.
- Global Oil: Experienced a sharp sell-off due to de-escalating Middle Eastern tension.
- WTI Crude: Opened near $80.06/bbl and settled down -0.49% to $75.40/bbl (intraday low near $75.13/bbl).
- Brent Crude: Opened near $83.76/bbl and closed down at $78.72/bbl.
- Global Gold: Traded near historical record highs as safe-haven demand remained underlying.
- Open: $4,055.13/oz | Close/Current: $4,135.20/oz (-0.42% intraday settlement).
- Global Silver: Remained volatile, hovering near multi-decade peaks.
- Open: $58.34/oz | Close/Current: $58.87/oz (+1.46%).
- Global Crypto: Cryptocurrency markets stabilized with moderate upward bias.
- Bitcoin (BTC): Open $63,390.00 | Close $64,168.52 (+1.11%).
- Ethereum (ETH): Open $1,858.26 | Close $1,870.08 (+0.64%).
North America
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): Open 53,270.41 | Close 54,085.88 (+1.71% / +907.47 pts).
- S&P 500: Open 7,601.00 | Close 7,736.52 (+1.79% / +136.02 pts).
- NASDAQ Composite: Open 25,914.00 | Close 26,584.99 (+2.59% / +671.10 pts).
- Russell 2000: Open 2,981.91 | Close 3,036.98 (+1.85% / +55.07 pts).
- NYSE Composite: Open 20,840.10 | Close 21,115.45 (+1.32%)
- S&P/TSX Composite (Canada): Open 35,226.00 | Close 35,482.10 (+0.73%).
- S&P/BMV IPC (Mexico): Open 56,120.30 | Close 56,540.15 (+0.75%)
Latin America
- Bovespa / Ibovespa (Brazil): Open 178,000.24 | Close 177,894.97 (-0.06% / -105.27 pts).
- S&P Merval (Argentina): Open 2,140,500.00 | Close 2,172,300.00 (+1.48%)
- S&P IPSA (Chile): Open 6,580.40 | Close 6,615.10 (+0.53%)
Europe
- DAX (Germany): Open 26,001.31 | Close 26,202.35 (+0.77% / +201.04 pts).
- FTSE 100 (UK): Open 10,858.00 | Close 10,879.38 (+0.20% / +21.68 pts).
- CAC 40 (France): Open 8,613.82 | Close 8,666.63 (+0.61% / +52.81 pts).
- EURO STOXX 50 (Eurozone): Open 6,426.50 | Close 6,486.70 (+0.94% / +60.20 pts).
- AEX Index (Netherlands): Open 942.10 | Close 948.80 (+0.71%)
- IBEX 35 (Spain): Open 19,982.60 | Close 20,023.60 (+0.21% / +41.00 pts).
- FTSE MIB (Italy): Open 38,410.20 | Close 38,720.50 (+0.81%)
- SMI (Swiss Market Index): Open 12,450.30 | Close 12,512.60 (+0.50%)
- BEL 20 (Belgium): Open 4,210.15 | Close 4,235.40 (+0.60%)
- ATX (Austria): Open 3,820.40 | Close 3,845.90 (+0.67%)
- OMXS30 (Sweden): Open 2,680.10 | Close 2,701.30 (+0.79%)
- OMXC25 (Denmark): Open 1,985.40 | Close 1,996.20 (+0.54%)
- WIG20 (Poland): Open 2,510.30 | Close 2,532.10 (+0.87%)
- MOEX Russia Index: Open 3,120.50 | Close 3,105.80 (-0.47%)
Asia / Pacific
- Nikkei 225 (Japan): Open 63,755.00 | Close 63,957.53 (+0.32% / +202.63 pts).
- Shanghai Composite (SSE, China): Open 3,809.66 | Close 3,822.28 (+0.33% / +12.62 pts).
- SZSE Component (China): Open 12,110.20 | Close 12,165.40 (+0.46%)
- China A50: Open 13,850.10 | Close 13,912.30 (+0.45%)
- Hang Seng Index (Hong Kong): Open 26,009.40 | Close 25,852.92 (-0.60% / -156.48 pts).
- Taiwan Weighted Index (TAIEX): Open 24,150.20 | Close 24,080.30 (-0.29%)
- KOSPI (South Korea): Open 2,810.15 | Close 2,779.24 (-1.10%).
- NIFTY 50 (India): Open 24,774.30 | Close 24,614.90 (-0.64% / -159.40 pts).
- S&P BSE Sensex (India): Open 78,639.00 | Close 78,428.95 (-0.27% / -210.08 pts).
- S&P/ASX 200 (Australia): Open 8,210.40 | Close 8,252.10 (+0.51%)
- All Ordinaries (Australia): Open 8,460.20 | Close 8,501.80 (+0.49%)
- NZX 50 (New Zealand): Open 13,700.10 | Close 13,775.00 (+0.55%).
- SET Index (Thailand): Open 1,325.10 | Close 1,332.40 (+0.55%)
- JKSE (Jakarta Composite, Indonesia): Open 7,310.20 | Close 7,335.80 (+0.35%)
- FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI: Open 1,620.10 | Close 1,625.30 (+0.32%)
Middle East / Africa
- Tadawul All Share Index (Saudi Arabia): Open 11,920.30 | Close 11,985.40 (+0.55%)
- TA-35 (Israel): Open 2,080.10 | Close 2,102.30 (+1.07%)
- BIST 100 (Turkey): Open 10,750.40 | Close 10,832.10 (+0.76%)
