Global financial markets snapped a multi-day slide on August 19, 2026, after the U.S. Treasury Department stepped in with targeted debt buybacks to calm a severe global bond market sell-off. Earlier in the session, global bond yields surged to multi-year highs—driven by fears over relentless U.S.-Iran geopolitical friction around the Strait of Hormuz, rising energy-led inflation, and high sovereign spending. While Asian equity markets bore the brunt of an aggressive tech sell-off overnight, Western equities rebounded led by energy and retail earnings. Meanwhile, precious metals surged on falling Treasury yields and a weaker dollar, while crude oil remained elevated on Middle East transit delays.
Global Asset Classes & Macro Breakdown
- Global Stocks: Ended mixed to higher; U.S. and European indexes recovered midday losses, while Asian equity indexes closed sharply lower following a sector-wide semiconductor downturn.
- Global Bonds: Rally in prices after historic multi-year high yields; U.S. 10-Year yield pulled back to ~4.64%, 30-Year yield fell to ~5.18% following U.S. debt buyback announcements.
- Global Oil: Brent Crude traded up +0.5% at $91.51/bbl, WTI Crude settled higher at $85.50/bbl due to ongoing transit blockages near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Global Gold: Spot/Futures jumped over +2.0% to $4,511.40/oz on lower real yields and safe-haven flows.
- Global Silver: Surged in tandem with precious metals, tracking higher near $38.20/oz.
- Global Crypto: Major assets moved flat to slightly negative; Bitcoin opened around $64,200 and closed near $63,850, while Ethereum opened at $3,450 and closed near $3,410.
Americas Market Index Performance
- DJIA (Dow Jones): Open: 53,343.40 | Close: 53,463.05 (+119.65 / +0.22%)
- S&P 500: Open: 7,691.76 | Close: 7,707.98 (+16.22 / +0.21%)
- NASDAQ Composite: Open: 26,289.71 | Close: 26,331.09 (+41.38 / +0.16%)
- Russell 2000: Open: 2,185.10 | Close: 2,198.40 (+13.30 / +0.61%)
- NYSE Composite: Open: 19,410.20 | Close: 19,485.60 (+75.40 / +0.39%)
- S&P/TSX Composite (Canada): Open: 36,367.90 | Close: 36,440.15 (+72.25 / +0.20%)
- S&P/BMV IPC (Mexico): Open: 53,820.10 | Close: 54,010.50 (+190.40 / +0.35%)
- Bovespa / Ibovespa (Brazil): Open: 135,100.00 | Close: 135,850.30 (+750.30 / +0.55%)
- S&P Merval (Argentina): Open: 1,610,200.00 | Close: 1,624,500.00 (+14,300.00 / +0.89%)
- S&P IPSA (Chile): Open: 6,480.10 | Close: 6,512.40 (+32.30 / +0.50%)
European Market Index Performance
- DAX (Germany): Open: 18,320.10 | Close: 18,385.20 (+65.10 / +0.36%)
- FTSE 100 (UK): Open: 8,180.40 | Close: 8,210.15 (+29.75 / +0.36%)
- CAC 40 (France): Open: 7,485.20 | Close: 7,510.80 (+25.60 / +0.34%)
- EURO STOXX 50: Open: 4,820.10 | Close: 4,842.30 (+22.20 / +0.46%)
- AEX (Netherlands): Open: 898.40 | Close: 902.10 (+3.70 / +0.41%)
- IBEX 35 (Spain): Open: 10,890.00 | Close: 10,945.20 (+55.20 / +0.51%)
- FTSE MIB (Italy): Open: 33,020.50 | Close: 33,180.40 (+159.90 / +0.48%)
- SMI (Switzerland): Open: 11,810.00 | Close: 11,855.30 (+45.30 / +0.38%)
- BEL 20 (Belgium): Open: 3,980.20 | Close: 3,998.50 (+18.30 / +0.46%)
- ATX (Austria): Open: 3,580.00 | Close: 3,595.10 (+15.10 / +0.42%)
- OMXS30 (Sweden): Open: 2,510.40 | Close: 2,525.10 (+14.70 / +0.59%)
- OMXC25 (Denmark): Open: 1,920.10 | Close: 1,932.40 (+12.30 / +0.64%)
- WIG20 (Poland): Open: 2,380.00 | Close: 2,398.20 (+18.20 / +0.76%)
- MOEX Russia Index: Open: 2,810.50 | Close: 2,795.10 (-15.40 / -0.55%)
Asia-Pacific & Middle East Market Index Performance
- Nikkei 225 (Japan): Open: 37,950.00 | Close: 36,725.20 (-1,224.80 / -3.23%)
- Shanghai Composite (China): Open: 3,880.20 | Close: 3,802.60 (-77.60 / -2.00%)
- Hang Seng Index (Hong Kong): Open: 17,480.00 | Close: 17,515.00 (+35.00 / +0.20%)
- SZSE Component (China): Open: 10,420.00 | Close: 10,210.50 (-209.50 / -2.01%)
- China A50: Open: 12,350.00 | Close: 12,210.00 (-140.00 / -1.13%)
- Taiwan Weighted Index: Open: 22,100.00 | Close: 21,680.50 (-419.50 / -1.90%)
- KOSPI (South Korea): Open: 2,620.00 | Close: 2,478.50 (-141.50 / -5.40%)
- NIFTY 50 (India): Open: 24,216.00 | Close: 24,154.90 (-61.10 / -0.25%)
- S&P BSE Sensex (India): Open: 79,400.00 | Close: 79,210.30 (-189.70 / -0.24%)
- S&P/ASX 200 (Australia): Open: 7,810.00 | Close: 7,792.10 (-17.90 / -0.23%)
- All Ordinaries (Australia): Open: 8,050.00 | Close: 8,031.50 (-18.50 / -0.23%)
- NZX 50 (New Zealand): Open: 12,420.00 | Close: 12,445.10 (+25.10 / +0.20%)
- SET Index (Thailand): Open: 1,315.00 | Close: 1,308.20 (-6.80 / -0.52%)
- JKSE (Indonesia): Open: 7,240.00 | Close: 7,215.10 (-24.90 / -0.34%)
- FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI: Open: 1,595.00 | Close: 1,591.20 (-3.80 / -0.24%)
- Tadawul All Share Index (Saudi Arabia): Open: 11,820.00 | Close: 11,885.40 (+65.40 / +0.55%)
- TA-35 (Israel): Open: 1,980.00 | Close: 1,972.10 (-7.90 / -0.40%)
- BIST 100 (Turkey): Open: 9,850.00 | Close: 9,920.40 (+70.40 / +0.71%)
