S&P 500 (US500) news and analysis today

Updated Mon 26 Oct 2026, 10:15 PM IST

S&P 500 7682.01 at Mon 26 Oct, ~10:10 PM IST (US session, about 3 hours after the open) · Trading Economics (CFD quote)

Up about 0.7-0.8% (Trading Economics; Yahoo Finance) on AI-stock gains, off the session high; about 1.8% below its 7,818.93 record close (6 Oct)

◆ Neutral

Research view · Event-driven (FOMC Wed, big-tech earnings Wed-Thu) · confidence Low. Last week: -0.5% last week (AP)

What is driving S&P 500

Closed at 7,623.68 on Friday, down 0.5% on the week, after a 1.2% drop on Thu 22 Oct. Record close 7,818.93 on 6 Oct (Yahoo Finance).

Fundamental view

Earnings season: about a third of S&P 500 companies report this week, including Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon (Reuters via Yahoo Finance). A December hike about 80% priced and 10-year yields near 5% cap valuations.

Technical view

Resistance at prior closes: 7,663 (22 Oct), 7,757 (21 Oct) and the 7,819 record close (6 Oct). No verified support level this run.

▲ Resistance: 7,663 · 7,757 · 7,819
▼ Support: (levels from AP; Yahoo Finance (prior closes))

Outlook

Short term: FOMC Wed 11:30 PM IST, then Microsoft and Alphabet results (Thu ~1:30 AM IST) and GDP/PCE (Thu 6:00 PM IST).

Medium term: Big-tech AI spending guidance and the December Fed decision set the trend.

Risks: Another round of AI-spending disappointment (as with Meta on 22 Oct) or an Iran strike.

Upcoming events for S&P 500 (IST)

Tue 27 Oct

Wed 28 Oct

Thu 29 Oct

Fri 30 Oct

Mon 2 Nov

Latest S&P 500 news

1Trump & US policy25-26 Oct 2026 (Reuters 26 Oct 9:56 AM IST)

Trump rules out an Iran strike "today", weighs "finish it off" vs "deal"; Qatar mediates and oil falls ~2% before paring

What it meansThe weekend strike did not happen and mediation is active, so oil gave back about 2% and gold bounced. Trump frames it as strike-or-deal, so oil, gold, CAD and JPY stay headline-driven into the 3 Nov midterms.

Market reactionBy 9:56 AM IST: Brent -1.89% to $114.51, WTI -2.16% to $101.04 (Reuters); IANS had WTI $100.69 (-2.49%). Gold +0.5% to $4,014.49 by 2:54 PM IST as lower oil eased inflation fears (Reuters). US futures at 2:16 PM IST: Dow +0.32% near 52,560, S&P 500 +0.14% (FXStreet). By 4:35 PM IST WTI was about $100.39 and gold about $4,016 (FXStreet). WTI was still about $101.02 (-2.18%) at ~9:10 PM IST, then pared the drop to about $102.77 (-0.48%) by ~10:10 PM IST (Trading Economics; Yahoo Finance had December WTI $102.98, -0.28%).

Next 24 hours
Oil premium trimmed early, then mostly rebuilt by the US afternoon; headline whipsaw risk stays high.
2 to 5 days
Strike-or-deal binary into 3 Nov.
2 to 12 weeks
Post-midterm strike risk remains.
Read the full report

Leaving the White House on 25 Oct, Trump said "there will not be a strike today" and, asked whether strikes could resume, "Would I tell you that?" Later he said "There's a possibility I will" and also "a possibility we'll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement", while doubting Iran would hold a deal. Reuters reported Qatari mediators in Tehran. Earlier (23 Oct rally) he said the US "may do another little" round. On Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures he said: "Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal?" (24NewsHD). On 26 Oct Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence head Ibrahim Kalin were in Tehran for security talks, after Qatari mediators arrived on 25 Oct (AP).

WTIUSDCADUSDJPYXAUUSDBTCUSDUS30US500Source: Gulf News; Reuters via Arab News

3Rates & central banks22-23 Oct 2026

Fed repricing: October hike odds near 9%, December hike about 80% priced

What it meansThere will be no hike on Wednesday, but a December hike is almost fully priced. Warsh's tone decides the next move in yields, the USD, gold and BTC.

Market reaction10-year Treasury yield back below 5% on 26 Oct after ending last week at 5% (FXStreet); dollar index 101.80, little changed (Reuters)

Next 24 hours
A whipsaw is likely between the statement and the presser.
2 to 5 days
The dot plot is not due at this meeting; guidance is the only signal.
2 to 12 weeks
It decides the December path.
Read the full report

The Fed funds range is 3.75-4.00% after a September hike (12-0 vote). In a Reuters poll (16-20 Oct), 94 of 100 economists expect a hold on 28 Oct and all 100 expect a December hike. September CPI was 3.7% y/y (core 2.6%).

All USD pairsXAUUSDBTCUSDSource: Reuters via MarketScreener; FXStreet

4Market fundamentals22-23 Oct 2026 (CryptoTicker 23 Oct 11:45 AM IST)

AI-spending doubts hit tech: Nasdaq 100 -3% on 22 Oct after Meta results and Huang comments

What it meansAI-spending doubts flipped markets to risk-off. That helps the yen and franc and hurts Bitcoin and AUD/NZD.

Market reactionNasdaq 100 -3% on 22 Oct (The Telegraph); S&P 500 -1.2% to 7,663 (Yahoo Finance)

Next 24 hours
Haven currencies stay bid.
2 to 5 days
Mean reversion is possible if earnings stabilise.
2 to 12 weeks
A lasting capex cut would weigh on growth and on risk assets.
Read the full report

Several megacap tech companies missed expectations, and Tesla cut its spending forecast, which markets read as a warning on the AI and data-centre investment cycle. The Nasdaq fell 2.6% on Thursday; the Dow fell 1.2% on Friday.

US100US500USDJPYUSDCHFBTCUSDAUDUSDNZDUSDSource: The Telegraph via AOL; Yahoo Finance

6Market fundamentals26 Oct 2026, ~5:20 PM IST (Reuters)

Meta launches a $35B stock sale, part of up to $95B in new equity for AI; shares fall 1.6% at the open, then recover

What it meansMeta is funding AI with shares rather than debt. The stock fell 1.6% at the open on dilution, but chipmakers (possible buyers of the shares) rose, so the Nasdaq 100 still opened higher.

Market reactionPre-market gains of about 1-2% (Quartz; ZeroHedge citing Bloomberg, near 5:45 PM IST) faded: META was -0.7% at 6:35 PM IST (Reuters) and -1.52% to $632.83 at 7:40 PM IST (StockAnalysis), with a low of $629.02. It then recovered to $643.18 (+0.09%) by 9:05 PM IST (StockAnalysis); Invezz also reported the dip and recovery.

Next 24 hours
The opening drop reversed; investors are treating the raise as funding for AI spending rather than a warning sign.
2 to 5 days
Big-tech results and FOMC decide whether the AI-spending scare eases.
2 to 12 weeks
A further $60B share sale from Q1 2027 is a slow dilution overhang.
Read the full report

Meta launched public offerings of about $35B: roughly $22.5B of Class A stock (via forward sales with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs) and $12.5B of mandatory convertible preferred. A further at-the-market programme of up to $60B is planned once new non-voting Class C shares start trading, expected in Q1 2027. Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom indicated non-binding interest in up to $5B of the shares. Context: Q3 free cash flow was -$2.12B, Meta's first negative quarter in over ten years, and 2026 capex guidance is $135-145B (Reuters; Quartz; SEC shelf filing).

US100US500Source: Reuters via Business Recorder; SEC filing

7Market fundamentals26 Oct 2026, ~6:45 PM IST (Reuters)

Anthropic makes its IPO filing public; Nasdaq 100 up about 1.2% in US trading

What it meansAn AI sentiment boost for US100 at the open, not a trade signal. Note: this dashboard is produced with Claude, an Anthropic model; the story is included only because of the measured futures move.

Market reactionNasdaq 100 e-minis +0.6%, S&P 500 e-minis +0.34% and Dow e-minis +0.4% at 6:35 PM IST (Reuters). After the open: S&P 500 +0.33% at 6:52 PM IST and +0.97% at 8:23 PM IST (TheStreet); Nasdaq 100 +1.48% to 29,384.81 near 9:10 PM IST (Trading Economics CFD). Nvidia +2.6% at 9:11 PM IST (StockAnalysis). Gains faded later: Nasdaq 100 +1.15% to 29,291.27 and S&P 500 +0.77% near 10:10 PM IST (Trading Economics); Yahoo Finance had the S&P 500 +0.67% at 10:11 PM IST.

Next 24 hours
Tech is leading the session; the Nasdaq 100 is outpacing the Dow.
2 to 5 days
Big-tech results and FOMC decide direction this week.
2 to 12 weeks
A heavy AI issuance pipeline (Meta, Anthropic) adds supply of AI-linked stock.
Read the full report

AI developer Anthropic made its IPO registration public on Monday, pressing ahead with a listing even though the autumn IPO calendar has thinned on volatility (Reuters). Quartz reports the S-1 is for a Nasdaq listing under the ticker ANT. The filing lands in a week when about a third of S&P 500 companies report, including Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon.

US100US500Source: Reuters via Devdiscourse

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