Weekly US Stock Market Summary
U.S. stocks recorded their third consecutive weekly decline for the week ending March 13, 2026, as the escalating war with Iran and a resulting spike in energy prices hammered investor sentiment. The S&P 500 fell 1.6%, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 2%, closing at 46,558.
The dominant market driver was the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. WTI Crude oil surged over 8% for the week, ending near $99 per barrel after briefly crossing the $100 threshold on Friday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the largest wave of U.S. strikes against Iranian targets to date, fueling fears of a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This energy shock has forced markets to reprice inflation expectations, with the February Consumer Price Index (CPI) showing a steady annual rate of 2.4%, but with underlying energy and service costs beginning to trend higher.
The second estimate of Q4 GDP was revised down sharply to 0.7% (from 1.4%), signaling a significant slowdown. While January job openings rose to 6.9 million, consumer sentiment fell to a three-month low as households braced for higher fuel costs.
The software sector saw sharp declines, led by Adobe, which plunged over 7% following a guidance miss and the announcement of its CEO’s departure. Financials were the week's worst-performing sector, falling over 3% amid rising Treasury yields and liquidity concerns in private credit.
Minutes and subsequent commentary from Fed officials suggest a "hawkish pause." With the FOMC meeting next week, the market has largely erased hopes for a near-term rate cut.
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 02:00:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
