Home / Stocks Finish the Week Higher as AI Earnings Boost Markets
Stocks finished the week on a positive note, helped by stronger-than-expected earnings from several AI-related companies. The improved outlook for the technology sector helped AI stocks rebound and lifted all major market indices, with the Nasdaq 100 and emerging markets posting the strongest gains.
Investors also weighed a more cautious message from Fed Chairman Warsh, who made hawkish comments at the Fed’s annual Economic Policy Symposium. With PCE inflation remaining elevated and still well above the Fed’s 2% target, markets continue to closely watch inflation and interest-rate policy.
Overall, the week provided some encouraging momentum for stocks, although persistent inflation and the Fed’s policy outlook remain important factors as we move into the fall.
Treasury Yields
• 30-year Treasury: 5.158% (lower)
• 10-year Treasury: 4.674% (lower)
Mortgage Rates
• Average 30-year fixed (Freddie Mac): 6.66% (higher)
Commodities & Currency
U.S. dollar index: 99.50 (higher)
Crude oil: $86.92 per barrel (lower)
Natural gas: $2.874 (higher)
Gold: $4,625.90 per ounce (lower)
Silver $70.355 per ounce (higher)
S&P Cotality Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index – June
+0.37% month, +1.53% year
Commerce Department
Monthly New Residential Sales, July
-10.5% month, -6.3% year
Supply +12.9% to 9.6 months
Median Sales Price $393,800
-2.3% month, -0.9% year
Personal Income and Outlays, July
Personal Income – +0.4%
Personal Consumption Expenditures +0.2% (before inflation)
PCE price index +0.2% month, +3.7% year
Excluding volatile food and energy +0.2% month, +3.3% year (This is the FED’s preferred measure of inflation.)
Personal Savings Rate 3.0%
Durable Goods Orders July
+1.1%
Excluding Transportation +0.4%
Excluding Defense +1.3%
Labor Department
Jobless Claims (prior week)
New Claims 203,000 (lower)
4-week Moving Average 205,500 (higher)
Total Claims 1,778,000 (lower)
Energy & Industry Data
Energy Information Administration
Weekly Oil Production 13.843 million barrels (higher)
Natural Gas Storage +15 billion Ft3, above average for this time of year over the past 5 years.
Baker Hughes Rig Count
Oil rigs: -5 at 447
Gas rigs: +5 at 132
(All data was released the week of 08/24/2026)
(All monthly statistics are seasonally adjusted unless stated otherwise).
If you have questions about the markets or your financial plan, we’re always here to help.
Loren Rex – Emeritus
Erik A Smith, AIF® – President & C.E.O.
Nicholas Acri, CFP® – Partner & Wealth Advisor
Dylan Thomas, CFP® – Partner & Wealth Advisor
Jack Zeeb – Wealth Advisor
These are the opinions of Loren Rex and Erik Smith and are not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. The Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indexes. The Nasdaq Composite is a stock market index that includes almost all stocks listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange (more than 2500 stocks).
Stocks Finish the Week Higher as AI Earnings Boost Markets
Commentary
Home / Stocks Finish the Week Higher as AI Earnings Boost Markets
Stocks finished the week on a positive note, helped by stronger-than-expected earnings from several AI-related companies. The improved outlook for the technology sector helped AI stocks rebound and lifted all major market indices, with the Nasdaq 100 and emerging markets posting the strongest gains.
Investors also weighed a more cautious message from Fed Chairman Warsh, who made hawkish comments at the Fed’s annual Economic Policy Symposium. With PCE inflation remaining elevated and still well above the Fed’s 2% target, markets continue to closely watch inflation and interest-rate policy.
Overall, the week provided some encouraging momentum for stocks, although persistent inflation and the Fed’s policy outlook remain important factors as we move into the fall.
Treasury Yields
• 30-year Treasury: 5.158% (lower)
• 10-year Treasury: 4.674% (lower)
Mortgage Rates
• Average 30-year fixed (Freddie Mac): 6.66% (higher)
Commodities & Currency
S&P Cotality Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index – June
Commerce Department
Monthly New Residential Sales, July
Personal Income and Outlays, July
Durable Goods Orders July
Labor Department
Jobless Claims (prior week)
Energy & Industry Data
Energy Information Administration
Baker Hughes Rig Count
(All data was released the week of 08/24/2026)
(All monthly statistics are seasonally adjusted unless stated otherwise).
If you have questions about the markets or your financial plan, we’re always here to help.
Loren Rex – Emeritus
Erik A Smith, AIF® – President & C.E.O.
Nicholas Acri, CFP® – Partner & Wealth Advisor
Dylan Thomas, CFP® – Partner & Wealth Advisor
Jack Zeeb – Wealth Advisor
These are the opinions of Loren Rex and Erik Smith and are not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. The Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indexes. The Nasdaq Composite is a stock market index that includes almost all stocks listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange (more than 2500 stocks).
Sources:
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=WCRFPUS2&f=W
https://ir.eia.gov/ngs/ngs.html
https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms
https://www.wsj.com/market-data?mod=nav_top_subsection
https://bakerhughesrigcount.gcs-web.com/na-rig-count
https://www.census.gov/economic-indicators
FactSet Earnings Insight
S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index | S&P Dow Jones Indices
Personal Income and Outlays, July 2026 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Categories
Latest Post