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Major stock indexes finished lower to begin a busy week of earnings, while oil prices rose after President Donald Trump said Iran “will pay” for the deaths of American soldiers.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average, benchmark S&P 500, and tech-focused Nasdaq Composite closed down a respective 0.6%, 0.2%, and less than 0.1%, respectively. All three opened higher before fading as the day progressed.
Last week, the Nasdaq shed 2.9%, while the S&P 500 dropped 1.6% and the Dow fell 0.9%, marking the first time since the week of June 5 that all three posted weekly losses.
Earnings season intensifies this week, with Magnificent Seven members Alphabet (GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA) both reporting results after the closing bell Wednesday. Four members of the septet ended higher Monday after all but Apple (AAPL) ended in the red Friday, the second straight day tech stocks led markets lower.
Semiconductor and memory stocks rose modestly after paring gains, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) finishing up less than 1% apiece.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Paramount Skydance (PSKY) shares declined roughly 4% and 2%, respectively, after a federal judge temporarily blocked the latter from buying the former following an antitrust lawsuit filed by several states.
Elsewhere, U.S.-listed shares of Alibaba Group (BABA) rose nearly 5% after the Chinese tech giant unveiled its Qwen3.8 Max AI model, which it said was second only to Anthropic’s Fable 5. On Friday, news of an advanced model released by Chinese startup Moonshot AI caused tech stocks to tumble.
Shares of AMC Entertainment (AMC) and Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) soared 26% and gained 2%, respectively, after they issued second-quarter results before the bell.
Oil prices rose early Monday after three American servicemen were killed over the weekend by Iranian military strikes and the U.S. continued attacks on Iranian infrastructure. They turned lower after an Iranian spokesman said intermediaries between the nations were continuing to exchange messages, but then advanced again once Trump wrote on Truth Social that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” At 4 p.m. ET, West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, were up 0.7% at just above $83 a barrel, while Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, were 1% higher at around $89 a barrel.
The 10-year Treasury yield, which influences interest rates on a variety of consumer loans including mortgages, was near 4.60%, up about five basis points from Friday’s close.
Bitcoin was trading around $65,100, up over the past 24 hours. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the value of the greenback against a basket of foreign currencies, ticked 0.2% higher to 100.94. Gold futures were down 0.1% to $4,015 an ounce.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 07:26 PM GMT
The Sell-Off in Trendy Stocks Looks Bad—But Could It Help Push the S&P 500 to New Highs?
“Buy high, and sell higher” used to be a working investment strategy, until it wasn’t.
The momentum trade, or buying recent winners in the stock market, has unwound, with the sell-off intensifying around chip stocks in particular. For example, a popular fund employing that strategy, iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (MTUM), had declined 12% since the start of July through Friday’s close. The S&P 500 was roughly flat over the same period.
“Painful volatility in popular AI infrastructure stocks has renewed investor interest [in] investment themes outside of AI,” Goldman Sachs’ Ben Snider wrote in a Friday report, observing that the so-called momentum factor has erased gains since the end of April as its volatility surged to the highest level of its 45-year history excluding recession years.
Credit: Photographer: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Though some think the recent pullback in chip stocks could represent a buying opportunity, Snider said “history, positioning, and lack of a favorable catalyst point to continued near-term challenges” for the AI infrastructure momentum trade.
Read the full article here.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 07:12 PM GMT
Gas Prices Return to $4 After a Month of Relief—See Today’s Price in Every State
The national average for regular gasoline reached $4.00 a gallon today, according to AAA. That marks a 21-cent climb from July 7, when prices fell to their lowest level since mid-March.
The rebound comes as oil prices have risen again, putting renewed pressure on pump prices across the country.
Gas prices surged to $4.56 in May after averaging less than $3 before the Iran conflict began. They later fell to $3.79 before turning higher again.
Even after the latest increase, the national average remains 56 cents below its May peak.
Read the full article here.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 06:02 PM GMT
The Memory Stock Sell-Off Created a ‘Strong Entry Point,’ Says Morgan Stanley. Investors Are Buying In
Chip stocks rose on Monday as investors bought the dip following last week’s rout.
The PHLX Semiconductor Index (SOX) was up nearly 2% in recent trading, led higher by shares of Marvell (MRVL) and Micron (MU), which both gained about 5%. Memory stocks that have slumped in recent weeks rose, with Sandisk (SNDK) and Western Digital (WDC) each advancing more than 4%.
The SOX index fell 10% last week as the memory rally that powered markets to record highs throughout the second quarter cooled off. Chip investors were also rattled late in the week when Chinese start-up Moonshot AI released a new open-source model that rivals the capabilities of leading U.S. models from Anthropic and OpenAI. The model revived concerns about runaway spending on AI infrastructure and tech giants’ ability to recoup their enormous investments.
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Morgan Stanley analysts argued in a note on Monday that the recent sell-off “has created a strong entry point” to stocks benefiting from chip shortages “that show no signs of abating.” The analysts estimate memory prices are up 25% this quarter, a slowdown from prior quarters, but one that they argue was “inevitable” and arguably necessary to prevent demand destruction.
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JULY 20, 2026 AT 05:12 PM GMT
AMD Gains a Major Customer for Its Latest Tech Ahead of Its ‘Advancing AI’ Event—Here’s What You Need to Know
A major new customer for Advanced Micro Devices’ latest tech has the chipmaker’s stock rising to start what could be a pivotal week for the Nvidia rival.
Shares of AMD (AMD) were up more than 3% around $513 in recent trading after the company said it’s added Microsoft as a customer for its Helios rack-scale system, which could bring the chipmaker in closer competition with leader Nvidia (NVDA). Other semiconductor stocks also gained, after losing ground late last week.
The announcement comes just ahead of AMD’s two-day “Advancing AI” event starting Wednesday, where it’s expected to showcase its latest AI products and partnerships. CEO Lisa Su is set to headline a keynote address scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday. (You can watch it here.)
Analysts at Bank of America said in a note Friday that AMD could also offer “greater visibility into 2027 deployments, production ramps, and broader hyperscale adoption” at the event, with a more ambitious update to its longer-term outlook based on growing AI demand.
Read the full article here.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 04:43 PM GMT
Taco Bell, Chopt See Foot Traffic Drop Amid Lettuce Recall, Placer.ai Says
A lettuce recall is causing foot traffic to drop significantly at several restaurant chains, Placer.ai says.
According to Placer.ai data, foot traffic as of last Friday was down by 18.9% at Taco Bell, 14.3% at Chopt, 6.9% at Chipotle, 6.6% at Panera Bread, and 4.2% at CAVA compared with the day-of-the-week average between Jan. 1 and July 6.
Last Thursday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced an investigation into an outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses linked to certain shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. According to the FDA, Cyclospora “is a parasite that is so small it can only be seen under a microscope,” but people can get an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis when they eat food or drink water that’s contaminated with it.
On Friday, Taylor Farms de Mexico said it was “voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora,” and Taco Bell said it “completed removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from our restaurants.”
Placer.ai said that “while national visitation trends initially only fell low-single-digits compared to year-to-date day-of-week averages, those declines fell to the high teens in the latter part of last week.”
JULY 20, 2026 AT 03:42 PM GMT
Could AI-Driven Inflation Lead to Fed Rate Hikes?
Everything may get cheaper one day thanks to artificial intelligence—but first, AI investments could lead to sticker shock.
There are endless debates over AI, from how much it’ll displace workers to whether it’ll make the economy more productive over time. But what’s clear is that AI-related spending is driving growth today, analysts say, which could spur inflation and force the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.
The AI buildout “has created an insatiable demand for capital,” Ed Yardeni, a veteran economist and president of Yardeni Research, wrote recently. Jobs in AI-related fields are growing, as are those in the construction and manufacturing sectors, as new data centers get built, Yardeni noted.
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Buoyant stock markets “have made investors feel wealthier and spend more freely,” he wrote. And memory chip prices have “skyrocketed,” he added, forcing consumer technology companies like Apple to raise prices and adding to AI-related inflationary pressures.
Read the full article here.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 02:43 PM GMT
Alphabet Leads S&P 500 Communication Services Sector Higher
The S&P 500 is rising in early trading even though just four of its 11 sectors are in the green. Its Communication Services Sector is the main reason why, thanks in large part to Alphabet.
The S&P 500 Communication Services Sector is up 1.7%, more than double the gains of any other, about an hour after the opening bell.
Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) is up roughly 3.5% to pace the sector. Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO), which is up 1.7%, is the only other stock in the sector with gains of more than 1%.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 12:40 PM GMT
SpaceX Stock Rises After 6 Straight Days of Declines
Are shares of Elon Musk’s rocket, connectivity and AI company finally set for liftoff?
SpaceX (SPCX) shares, which come into the week on a six-session losing streak, were up 1.6% in recent premarket trading.
The stock has lost 19% of its value over the past six sessions and is down 45% from its record high above $225 set a few days after the company’s historic IPO.
Wall Street analysts remain bullish on the company’s prospects, but ongoing tech sector volatility and the upcoming expiration of agreements that prohibit initial shareholders from selling could weigh on the stock.
Credit: Kevin Carter / Getty Images
JULY 20, 2026 AT 12:22 PM GMT
Gas Prices Back Above $4
The recent surge in oil prices stemming from the increased fighting between the U.S. and Iran has pushed gas prices above $4 per gallon once again.
The average price for regular gas crossed the barrier today for the first time since June 18, according to the data from AAA.
Before the start of the war in late February, gas prices nationwide stood at just under $3, before surging above $4.50 in mid-May.
The average price dropped as low as $3.79 earlier this month as the fighting eased but has risen once again amid the escalating tensions.
California currently has the highest prices in the nation, at $5.50, while Indiana has the cheapest at $3.35.
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JULY 20, 2026 AT 11:55 AM GMT
AMC Entertainment Stock Soars After Record Quarter
AMC Entertainment Holdings reported blockbuster second-quarter results. Investors are buying shares in droves.
Shares of AMC Entertainment (AMC) soared 14% before the bell Monday after the operator of movie theaters issued record quarterly revenue and adjusted EBITDA.
AMC posted Q2 adjusted EBITDA of $321.4 million—nearly 75% more than the consensus estimate of $185 million of analysts polled by Visible Alpha. Revenue rose 14% year-over-year to $1.60 billion, above expectations of $1.47 billion.
“The second quarter of 2026 was nothing short of extraordinary for AMC,” CEO Adam Aron said. “In our 106-year history, never before has AMC had such superb results.”
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In addition, AMC announced that more than 4.3 million moviegoers attended its AMC Theatres in the U.S. and ODEON Cinemas internationally from Thursday through Sunday, greatly aided by the opening of “The Odyssey.” The Christopher Nolan film starring Matt Damon reportedly grossed about $124 million in its opening weekend.
AMC shares entered the day up nearly 25% this year.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 11:27 AM GMT
Most of Us Are Richer Than Ever Before. Why Doesn’t It Feel That Way?
Almost any way you can measure it, American life is better than it was in 1970. Why it doesn’t feel that way is one of the biggest mysteries in economics.
In material terms, we have more of the stuff we want and much less of the stuff we don’t want compared to 56 years ago, according to an array of statistics compiled by Harvard economics professor Jason Furman. Bedrooms-per-person are up 61%, air conditioning is up 675%, typical wages are up 44% (yes, after taking inflation into account), college attainment is up 252%, and life expectancy is up 11%. Meanwhile, 97% fewer people go without plumbing, 61% fewer live in poverty, air pollution has fallen 73%.
Amid all those figures, there is one perplexing outlier: people feel much worse about the economy than they did in 1970, or just about any other time in records going back to the 1950s. The University of Michigan’s index of Consumer Sentiment reached its lowest point in history in May and remained near historic lows in July despite an uptick due to (temporarily) falling gasoline prices.
From a historical perspective, it’s weird for public feelings about the economy to have so little relation to actual economic conditions. Before 2020, you could easily predict consumer sentiment by measuring the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and stock prices.
Read the full article here.
JULY 20, 2026 AT 10:57 AM GMT
What to Expect in Markets This Week: Alphabet, Tesla and Intel Headline Big Tech Earnings Reports
Earnings season heats up this week, with Big Tech taking center stage.
Google and YouTube owner Alphabet is set to release its results weeks after announcing it was selling stock to finance the construction of AI data centers.1 The move divided investors: AI is spurring demand for Alphabet’s cloud business, but worries that building the technology could drag on profit as infrastructure depreciates have intensified.
Still, a number of developments have bolstered confidence in Alphabet, whose shares have roughly doubled in the past year. Consumers have embraced the company’s Gemini chatbot, though news reports saying that the Gemini 3.5 Pro model will be delayed weighed on investor sentiment late last week.2 Meanwhile, Alphabet has found a way to reduce how much memory AI uses, which could alleviate some of the pressures involved with acquiring components during a memory and data storage shortage.
Tesla’s results, like Alphabet’s, are due Wednesday.3 CEO Elon Musk has said he wants to shift the business beyond cars and into robots and AI. Tesla is tripling its capital expenditures as it leans into AI endeavors. Still, some believe Musk will eventually seek to merge Tesla and SpaceX, a space, communication and AI company he recently took public.
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The Magnificent 7 members’ results come at a volatile time for the AI trade. SpaceX shares have dropped below their IPO price, and sharers of SK Hynix (SKHY)—the world’s largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory—plunged days after debuting on the Nasdaq. Given the jitters, investors will be looking for more clues as to what might come next when ServiceNow reports Wednesday and Intel reports Thursday.
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JULY 20, 2026 AT 10:25 AM GMT
Stock Futures Rise After Down Week for Major Indexes
Futures contracts tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average pointed up 0.2%.
S&P 500 futures were up 0.3%.
Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.6%.
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