2025 YTD Portfolio Performance:
My portfolio: 15.42%
S&P500: 13.55%
Weekly Performance Summary
US stock markets finished a volatile, roller-coaster week with solid gains. All three major indices ended in positive territory, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite leading the way with a gain of approximately 2.1%. The S&P 500 rose about 1.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.6%.
The week's trading was dominated by two major themes: the start of the third-quarter earnings season and escalating US-China trade tensions.
Investors were encouraged by the first major wave of Q3 earnings reports. Large financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and American Express, broadly topped Wall Street expectations, easing concerns about the sector. Overall, of the 12% of S&P 500 companies that have reported, 86% have beaten profit estimates—a higher-than-average rate.
This positive earnings momentum was needed to offset significant volatility. Jitters over the financial health of small and mid-sized regional banks caused a sharp pullback early in the week. Furthermore, renewed trade tensions weighed heavily on sentiment after President Trump threatened new tariffs on China. However, the market staged a strong rally on Friday after the president softened his stance, stating that very high tariffs were "not sustainable" and signaling that talks were back on track.
An ongoing partial US government shutdown added to the uncertainty, delaying the release of key economic data, most notably the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. In the absence of inflation data, investors focused on dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials and meeting minutes, which reinforced expectations for further interest rate cuts this year.
That is all I could summarise about what happened in the stock market last week. Have a great weekend!
$VOOV (Vanguard S&P 500 Value ETF)... Show More
Not investment advice. The author may have financial interests in the mentioned instruments.
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Sun Aug 16 2026 00:43:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
