NEW YORK – August 13, 2026 (STL.News) U.S. Stock Market Today – U.S. stocks finished Thursday mostly higher as technology and semiconductor shares pushed the S&P 500 to a fresh record during the session, while softer producer inflation strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged at its September meeting.
The S&P 500 closed at 7,781.59, gaining 33.09 points, or 0.43%. The Nasdaq Composite finished at 26,741.66, up about 0.58%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 96.14 points, or 0.18%, to 53,674.13. The S&P 500 reached an all-time intraday high of 7,816.70 before surrendering some of its gains late in the session.
U.S. Stock Market Snapshot
| Major Index | Closing Level | Point Change | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,781.59 | +33.09 | +0.43% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 26,741.66 | +153.17 | +0.58% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 53,674.13 | -96.14 | -0.18% |
| Russell 2000 | Above 3,060 intraday | — | Record high intraday |
The major indexes told two somewhat different stories Thursday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq benefited from another strong technology rally, while the Dow was held back largely by Cisco Systems. Small-cap stocks also participated, with the Russell 2000 climbing above 3,060 to a new record during the session.
U.S. Stock Market Today – S&P 500 reaches another record
The S&P 500’s move above 7,800 marked another milestone for a market that has continued to climb despite concerns about valuations, inflation, interest rates and geopolitical risks.
The benchmark reached 7,816.70 at its session high before pulling back during afternoon trading. Even with the late retreat, the S&P 500 ended solidly higher and remained close to record territory.
The index is now up nearly 14% in 2026, while the Nasdaq has gained approximately 15% this year, according to Reuters.
Market participation was also broader than simply a handful of mega-cap technology companies. Advancing S&P 500 stocks outnumbered decliners by approximately 1.8 to 1, while the index registered 28 new highs against only one new low. The Nasdaq recorded 138 new highs and 74 new lows.
That breadth provided additional support for Thursday’s rally and suggested investors remained willing to take on equity-market risk.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Inflation report gives Wall Street a boost
Thursday’s most important economic report arrived before the opening bell.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Producer Price Index for final demand was unchanged in July on a seasonally adjusted basis. Producer prices had declined 0.1% in June after increasing 0.5% in May.
Prices for final-demand services increased 0.2% in July, while prices for final-demand goods declined 0.7%. Energy played a significant role in the decline in goods prices, with gasoline prices falling 5.7%.
The relatively subdued headline reading helped ease concerns that the Federal Reserve would need to raise interest rates again at its September policy meeting.
Following the report, traders were assigning roughly a 63% probability that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged in September, according to Reuters, citing CME FedWatch data.
Treasury yields also eased following the inflation data, providing another supportive factor for equities, particularly technology and other growth stocks whose valuations are sensitive to interest-rate changes.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Semiconductor stocks power technology rally
Technology was at the center of Thursday’s advance.
Memory-chip maker Sandisk surged approximately 16%, while Micron Technology gained about 6.7%. Broadcom rose roughly 1.3%, while Meta Platforms advanced about 2.8%.
The continued enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence infrastructure has supported semiconductor stocks as investors assess the enormous capital expenditures directed toward data centers, cloud computing and AI systems.
Recent forecasts from technology giants, including Microsoft and Amazon, have helped ease concerns that the industry’s aggressive spending on AI infrastructure is slowing.
The semiconductor rally was particularly important because many of Thursday’s strongest technology performers are represented in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq but not in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
That difference helped produce the noticeable divergence between the major indexes.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Cisco weighs heavily on the Dow
The Dow’s 96-point decline did not necessarily indicate broad weakness among blue-chip stocks.
Cisco Systems fell approximately 9% after the networking equipment company issued an upbeat revenue forecast that nevertheless failed to meet investors’ elevated expectations.
Because the Dow is price-weighted, Cisco’s decline had an unusually large effect on the index.
Cisco’s drop was responsible for roughly 64 points of downward pressure on the Dow at one stage Thursday, accounting for about two-thirds of the blue-chip index’s decline.
Meanwhile, semiconductor winners such as Sandisk and Micron are not Dow components, meaning the Dow received little direct benefit from some of the session’s strongest technology stocks.
The result was a market in which the S&P 500 reached a record while the Dow finished in negative territory.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Small-cap stocks reach record territory
Another significant development Thursday came from smaller U.S. companies.
The Russell 2000 climbed above 3,060 during the session, setting a new record high. The small-cap benchmark has gained more than 23% so far in 2026, according to Benzinga.
Strength in small caps can be particularly important for assessing the health of a broader market rally.
For much of the AI-driven advance in U.S. equities, investors have questioned whether gains were concentrated too heavily among a relatively small group of mega-cap technology companies.
The Russell’s record provides evidence that investor demand is extending further into the market.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Netflix rises while Tapestry tumbles
Several individual stocks recorded large moves Thursday.
Netflix gained approximately 3.7% after billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square disclosed a new position in the streaming company as part of a substantial portfolio restructuring.
Dell Technologies gained approximately 2.9%, while HP rose about 3.6% after China’s Lenovo reported quarterly results that exceeded expectations.
On the other side of the market, Tapestry plunged approximately 16% after the owner of Coach forecast sluggish annual revenue growth.
The sharp reaction demonstrated that investors remain highly sensitive to corporate outlooks, particularly with major stock indexes trading near record levels.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Oil prices retreat
Energy prices provided another potentially positive development for the inflation outlook.
Brent crude fell sharply during Thursday’s session as investors assessed global demand, U.S. inventories and geopolitical developments. Reuters reported Brent trading around $87.66 per barrel, down approximately 1.5%, during the U.S. session.
U.S. benchmark WTI crude was trading around $81.50 per barrel, down approximately 2.1%, while gold futures were near $4,415 an ounce during the session.
Bitcoin traded around $63,000 to $63,500, remaining relatively subdued compared with the strength in equities.
Lower energy prices are particularly important because sustained declines in crude oil prices can eventually reduce transportation and production costs, potentially easing some inflationary pressure.
U.S. Stock Market Today – Wall Street turns toward Friday
Thursday’s session reinforced several of the major themes driving financial markets in 2026.
Artificial intelligence investment continues to support semiconductor and technology stocks. Inflation remains a central concern, but July’s flat producer price index reading gave investors additional reason to believe the Federal Reserve may be able to hold rates steady rather than tighten monetary policy further.
At the same time, the Russell 2000 record suggests the rally is expanding beyond the mega-cap companies that have dominated market headlines.
The S&P 500’s move above 7,800 intraday will likely stand as Thursday’s most significant market milestone. Although the index backed away from its high before the closing bell, it still gained 0.43% and finished at 7,781.59.
The Nasdaq’s 0.58% advance confirmed continued demand for technology shares, while the Dow’s 0.18% decline largely reflected Cisco’s outsized influence rather than broad market weakness.
Investors now head into Friday watching Treasury yields, oil prices, corporate earnings and incoming economic data for additional clues about the Federal Reserve’s September decision.
With the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Russell 2000 at or near historic levels, Wall Street’s central question is increasingly whether earnings growth and easing inflation pressures can continue supporting record equity valuations through the remainder of the summer.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for news and informational purposes only and should not be considered investment, financial, or trading advice. Financial markets involve risk, and prices may change during after-hours and premarket trading.
