Global markets posted mixed results for the week ending 17 July 2026. U.S. equities declined as investors rotated out of technology and AI-linked stocks, though cooler-than-expected inflation data and strong bank earnings provided some support. European markets were broadly unchanged, while Asian markets diverged sharply. Japan’s Nikkei 225 and China’s CSI 300 fell on tech-related selling pressure, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced. Oil prices surged on escalating Middle East tensions, and gold declined.
Market Snapshot
Weekly performance across major global indices (week ending 17 Jul 2026):
| Index | Friday’s Closing Price | Weekly Change (%) | Direction |
| DJIA | 52,146,42 | -0.93 | ▼ |
| S&P 500 | 7,457.69 | -1.55 | ▼ |
| NASDAQ Composite | 25,520.24 | -2.9 | ▼ |
| FTSE 100 (UK) | 10,600.37 | 0.98 | ▲ |
| CAC 40 (France) | 8,338.81 | 0.00 | – |
| STOXX Europe 600 | 641.53 | 0.07 | ▲ |
| Nikkei 225 (Japan) | 64,141.12 | -6.44 | ▼ |
| CSI 300 (China) | 4,529.10 | -5.26 | ▼ |
| Hang Seng (Hong Kong) | 24,562.24 | 1.6 | ▲ |
| Brent Crude | 88.1 | 15.91 | ▲ |
| Gold | 4,012.70 | -2.23 | ▼ |
Foreign Exchange
(For the week ending 17 Jul 2026)
| Pair | Friday’s Close | Week’s Change |
| EUR/USD | 1.1445 | 0.1 ▲ |
| USD/JPY | 162.376 | 0.01 ▲ |
| GBP/USD | 1.3479 | 0.47 ▲ |
| USD/CHF | 0.8083 | 0.22 ▲ |
| AUD/USD | 0.6944 | 0 ▲ |
U.S. Markets Overview
Major U.S. equity indexes closed the week lower in a reversal of the prior week’s large-cap tech outperformance. The NASDAQ Composite declined 2.90%, the S&P 500 fell 1.55% and the DJIA was down 0.42%. Within the S&P 500, information technology and communication services posted the steepest losses, weighed down by large-cap tech and AI-linked shares. The energy sector advanced alongside oil prices amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Q2 earnings season began in earnest, with several major banks reporting results that largely exceeded consensus estimates. A wave of dealmaking and IPO activity drove a surge in investment banking fees, while choppy markets lifted trading revenue.
Consumer inflation slowed considerably in June. The consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.4% month over month, its largest monthly decline in over six years. The decrease was driven primarily by a 5.7% drop in energy prices. On a year-over-year basis, headline inflation slowed to 3.5% from 4.2%, while core inflation eased to 2.6% from 2.9%. Producer prices also surprised to the downside, with the PPI falling 0.3% in June. Market-implied expectations for a near-term Federal Reserve rate hike declined following the data releases.
Retail sales rose 0.2% in June, in line with expectations but down from May’s upwardly revised 1.0% increase. Excluding gas stations, sales rose 0.7% during the month. Initial jobless claims fell to 208,000, the lowest level since early May.
European Markets
The STOXX Europe 600 ended the week broadly unchanged, up 0.07%, as weakness in tech stocks in the U.S. and Asia spread to Europe late in the week. Among major stock indexes, France’s CAC 40 was flat and the UK’s FTSE 100, which has relatively less exposure to technology names, climbed 0.98%.
The annual inflation rate across the eurozone fell to 2.8% in June from 3.2% in May, though this remained above the European Central Bank’s 2% target. Eurozone industrial output fell 0.2% month over month in May. In the UK, the economy returned to growth in May, expanding 0.1% month over month.
Asian Markets
Japan
Japan’s stock markets saw notable losses, with the Nikkei 225 falling 6.44%. The declines were driven largely by bearish sentiment on technology stocks and concerns about whether companies within the AI complex can sustain their current valuations. Escalating conflict in the Middle East and surging oil prices dampened risk appetite further, given Japan’s dependence on Middle Eastern oil imports. The yen weakened modestly, trading around JPY 162.4 against the U.S. dollar. The yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond fell to 2.70% from 2.78%. Core machinery orders dropped 12.4% month over month in May, more than the expected 4.2% decline.
China
China equities diverged during a volatile week. The CSI 300 fell 5.26% as AI, memory-chip and semiconductor shares came under renewed selling pressure. The Hang Seng gained 1.60%, supported by mainland buying through the Stock Connect program and gains among internet platforms, automakers and health care companies.
China’s second-quarter GDP expanded 4.3% year over year, below the 4.5% consensus estimate and down from 5.0% in Q1. June industrial production rose a stronger-than-expected 5.3%, while retail sales increased 1.0% after declining 0.6% in May. Exports rose 27.0% year over year in June in U.S. dollar terms, above expectations, while imports increased 36.0%.
Commodities
Oil
Brent crude surged 15.91% over the week, closing at US$88.10. The sharp rise was driven by escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and concerns about broader disruption to Middle East energy supply and shipping infrastructure.
Gold
Gold fell 2.23% to US$4,012.70 over the week.
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