US stocks experienced a rise on September 25, 2026, as investors navigated economic and geopolitical factors influencing bond yields and oil prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.9%, marking the end of a three-week decline, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both saw gains of approximately 0.5%.
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The performance comes amidst rising concerns about inflation, with the 10-year Treasury yield reaching a peak of 5.18%, the highest since the global financial crisis. BlackRock's Rick Rieder characterized the bond sell-off as not a crisis but an eye-opener.
In the oil market, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped to $92 per barrel, while Brent crude traded below $98 per barrel. This decline contributed to gas prices approaching an average of $4.50 per gallon in the US. Accordingly, the University of Michigan's latest consumer sentiment survey indicated a fall to 48.1, a four-month low, influenced by high gas prices and tariff concerns.
President Trump's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded with little progress on trade or policy but did announce plans for a summit in Shenzhen, China, in November to discuss issues surrounding artificial intelligence.
As Meta's stock pulled back from significant gains, the company still saw approximately a 13% increase this week following the launch of its AI agent, Muse.
Bond market conditions are stabilizing, yet mortgage rates continued to rise, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage reaching 7.49%, reflecting a 30 basis point increase for the week. This uptick may affect home sales as the market heads into a typical winter slowdown.
Bank of America downgraded Nike’s stock to Underperform, citing escalating risks that may stall the company's recovery efforts. Nike shares have fallen 43% year-to-date, trading at around $36.
Lastly, consumer sentiment weakened significantly in September, primarily due to rising costs of groceries and gasoline, as indicated by a survey conducted by the University of Michigan.