Live Markets: US stocks edge green as yields simmer down

Target

19/08/2026 21:11

Main US indexes end modestly green
Healthcare leads S&P 500 sector gainers; industrials, tech biggest laggards
Dollar falls ~0.9%; US crude gains; gold jumps >4%; bitcoin rallies >6%
US 10-year Treasury yield tumbles to ~4.64%
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    US STOCKS EDGE GREEN AS YIELDS SIMMER DOWN
  

    Wall Street snapped a three-day losing streak on Wednesday as long-dated bond yields pulled back from multi-year highs in a sign that fears of ballooning debt and geopolitical unrest were fading a bit.
  

    "A bit" is the key qualifier. All three major U.S. stock indexes ended the session only modestly green in a value-led rally led by healthcare .SPXHC stocks which jumped 3.5%. Gold/silver .XAU stocks were attention-grabbers, surging 8.8%.
  

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a doubling of buyback sizes for 10-year and 30-year U.S. Treasuries, which helped reel yields back to earth and calm market jitters.
  

    The move gave a welcome boost to homebuilders .SPCOMHOME and housing stocks .HGX, on hopes that mortgage rates—which track benchmark Treasury yields—could dip back below 6% for the first time in four years.
  

    Banks .SPXBK, .KRX and chips .SOX all shed more than 2%, as investors turned an increasingly skeptical eye on the swelling debt load resulting from massive AI-related expenditures.
  

    Retail stocks .SPXRT had a respectable day, gaining 2.0% following quarterly results from Target TGT.N and Lowe's LOW.N.
  

    Walmart WMT.N is expected to step up to the plate on Thursday.
  

    On the data front, aside from the Labor Department's weekly jobless claims report, the Philly Fed Business Index and the Conference Board's Leading Economic Index are expected to round out Thursday's economic menu.
  
Here's your closing snapshot:
(Stephen Culp)
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EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:
BOFA CLIENTS FLOCK TO TECH STOCKS CLICK HERE
TECH GIANTS' BOND BINGE RAISES RED FLAGS FOR AI BOOM CLICK HERE
HOME LOAN FINANCING COSTS UNMOVED AT ONE-YEAR HIGH, MORTGAGE DEMAND SLIPS CLICK HERE
WALL STREET STRUGGLES FOR A MODEST BOUNCE-BACK CLICK HERE
BULLS LOOK FOR A BOUNCE AFTER S&P 500 PULLS BACK FROM RECORDS CLICK HERE
EUROPE'S STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES CLICK HERE 
COULD CHINA BE ABOUT TO TURN ON THE STIMULUS TAPS? CLICK HERE
EUROPEAN STOCKS NEAR UNCHANGED CLICK HERE
EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: STEADY START CLICK HERE
DANCING ROBOTS, DUMPING BONDS CLICK HERE
     

Mortgage demand and rates https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/egvbwxlwkpq/mba.png
Housing stocks vs the broader market https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/lgpdezxemvo/hgx.png
Closing snapshot https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/zdpxwbkravx/closer.png
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