Market Update on September 16, 2026

Traders were active on the New York Stock Exchange as morning trading wrapped up on September 16, 2026.

The S&P 500 ended Friday relatively flat, marking the conclusion of a turbulent week characterized by rising Treasury yields and oil prices, alongside the Federal Reserve’s first interest rate hike in three years.

Specifically, the broad market index slightly edged up, while the Nasdaq Composite saw a modest increase of 0.2%. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 73 points, roughly 0.1%.

Increased Treasury yields continued to pressure equity markets. Earlier in the week, the 10-year yield rose above 5%—the highest since July 2007—but fluctuated back above that threshold after experiencing a decline on Thursday. It ended the day up by more than 5 basis points at 4.998%.

As for crude oil, U.S. prices remained stable, with West Texas Intermediate futures slipping about 1% yet still holding above the $100-per-barrel mark. Meanwhile, the global benchmark Brent crude futures also dipped slightly, trading around $104.

This week’s market movements have shown a mixed bag for the major stock indices. The Dow is facing a downturn of nearly 2%, indicating it could record a third consecutive losing week. Similarly, the S&P 500 is down approximately 0.3% for the week. The Nasdaq Composite stands out, however, poised for a slight weekly gain of 0.3%.

Markets made a comeback on Thursday after the Fed opted to raise rates by a quarter percentage point, hinting at at least one more hike later in the year. This decision had initially pressured markets on Wednesday.

Investor enthusiasm seems to have returned, especially in tech stocks, as they tend to focus more on the ongoing developments in artificial intelligence, which could positively impact corporate earnings despite fears about persistent higher rates.

Scott Welch, chief investment officer at Certuity, remarked that some uncertainty lifted with the Fed’s rate increase but expressed skepticism about this being a singular event. He anticipates a cycle of hikes may be just beginning, potentially affecting equity performance in the foreseeable future.

“I believe there will be at least one more hike in 2026, with possibly additional increases in 2027,” he noted.

Welch expects the upward pressure on Treasury yields to persist and oil prices to stay elevated for the coming months. “I’m not negative on the market, but I do think we’re likely to see a stable growth pattern for the remainder of this year,” he added.