Stock Index

S&P 500 companies posted a 51% year-over-year jump in earnings per share in Q2 2026, lifting growth over the past four quarters to 26%. Major technology firms including Amazon and Meta are expected to spend about $800 billion on capital expenditures this year, up 94% from 2025. Memory-chip makers are seeing gross margins near 80%, and Goldman Sachs estimates S&P 500 earnings could fall by about 10% if overall chip gross margins drop from roughly 70% to the 15-year average of 55%. Large technology companies also generated more than $150 billion in private-investment gains during the quarter, contributing roughly 12% of S&P 500 EPS.

Brent crude fell for a third straight session, down more than 1.3% to around $103 a barrel, though it stayed above $100. Tata Group stocks saw their combined market capitalisation drop by about ₹4.2 trillion, or 1.73%. The Indian rupee snapped a seven-session losing streak, supported by the pullback in oil prices.

The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to a 31-year high of 1.25% to curb the risk of inflation overshooting its 2% target. Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 1%, led by AI- and semiconductor-related shares such as SoftBank, Advantest and Tokyo Electron. Gaming stocks lagged, with Nintendo and Konami each down about 2%.

Turkish regulators froze trading in funds run by seven asset managers and ordered 130 funds to liquidate following a market selloff. The funds involved have a combined portfolio of 891 billion lira ($21.4 billion) and about 353,000 investors, according to a source cited by Reuters. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkiye increased repo funding to 300 billion lira and lifted banks’ interbank borrowing limits tenfold to ease lira liquidity strains.

The Bank of England kept its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.75%, but a 6-3 vote signalled a more hawkish tilt, with chief economist Huw Pill among three backing a hike. The BOE sharply lifted its inflation outlook, forecasting inflation will rise above 4% in early 2027, well above its 2% target. As global bond yields retreated and oil prices fell, US tech shares rebounded and Australia’s ASX was expected to open 0.6% higher. The Australian dollar rose 0.3% to 71.1 US cents.

Japan’s Nikkei index ended slightly higher as investors snapped up gaming and pharmaceutical shares that had been under pressure, with lower oil prices also lifting sentiment. Gains were capped by declines in chip-related stocks as traders waited for the Bank of Japan’s policy decision. The broader Topix index also rose.

The Federal Reserve raised rates, lifting the federal funds target range to 3.75% to 4.00%. U.S. stocks came under pressure, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 631 points, or 1.2%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite was little changed. Near-month West Texas Intermediate crude slid 3.7% as Middle East supply pressures eased and U.S. demand data came in below expectations.

U.S. stocks closed lower after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates as expected and signaled that further tightening may be ahead to tackle elevated inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.17%, while the S&P 500 slid 0.43% and the Nasdaq finished nearly flat. Energy shares lagged as crude prices retreated, while semiconductor stocks advanced.

The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield hovered near 5%, pressuring Wall Street to close lower overnight. Tensions in the Middle East escalated again, including an attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline and continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. WTI held firm in the $104–105 a barrel range, while Brent hovered near $108, curbing global risk appetite.

Indian equities are expected to open flat on Sept. 16 after benchmarks fell in the prior session. The Sensex slid 777.94 points to 74,003.82 and the Nifty 50 dropped 279.50 points to 23,118.60. Rising Middle East tensions kept WTI crude in the $104–105 range, while the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbed to its highest level in nearly two decades, weighing on global risk sentiment amid inflation concerns.