Stock Market this Week – Up, Down, and What’s Moving
This was not an easy week for the stock market.
At one point, everything looked green. Oil prices were falling fast. Peace talks with Iran were making progress. Investors started feeling good again.
But by Friday, the mood changed. New inflation numbers came out. People started talking about rate hikes again. Bond yields went up. And suddenly, the market started looking shaky.
Still, both Wall Street and Dalal Street managed to close the week in the green. Gains were small, but gains are gains.
Let me break down exactly what happened this week, what moved up, what moved down, and what you should watch next week.
US Market – Small Gains Despite Big Fears
The Dow Jones closed at 50,579 points. That is up 0.58 percent for the week.
The S&P 500 ended at 7,473 points. That is up 0.37 percent.
The Nasdaq 100 finished at 29,481 points. That is up 0.42 percent.
These are not huge moves. But given what happened during the week, many traders are happy that markets did not fall.
The biggest reason for the early optimism was oil. Crude oil prices fell almost 8 percent this week. That is a big drop in just five days.
Why did oil fall so fast? Because the US and Iran are talking. There is a possibility that the Middle East conflict might reduce. Markets hate war, and they love peace. So when oil falls, stocks usually go up.
But on Friday, reality hit again.
The University of Michigan released its consumer sentiment survey. The number fell to 44.8 points. That is a record low. American households are feeling real pain from high prices.
One year inflation expectations rose to 4.8 percent. Long term expectations went up to 3.9 percent. This means people believe inflation will stay high for a long time.
This is bad news for stocks because higher inflation means the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates again.
Kevin Warsh became the new Fed Chairman this week. President Trump publicly said the Fed should remain independent. But bond markets are now pricing in a possible rate hike before the end of the year.
Just a few months ago, everyone expected rate cuts. Now the conversation has flipped completely.
Individual Stocks That Moved This Week
Nvidia was the biggest story.
The AI chip company reported earnings that blew past expectations. Adjusted earnings came at 1.87 dollars per share. Revenue was 81.61 billion dollars. That is 85 percent growth compared to last year.
Data center revenue alone was 75.2 billion dollars. Analysts were expecting only 73.48 billion dollars.
Nvidia also announced an 80 billion dollar share buyback. They raised their quarterly dividend from 1 cent to 25 cents. And they forecast second quarter revenue of 91 billion dollars, which is higher than what Wall Street was expecting.
The stock price moved up. But some analysts are now saying that Nvidia looks expensive. If interest rates go up, high valuation stocks like Nvidia could fall.
Other stocks that moved this week include Dell Technologies, which rose 17 percent ahead of its earnings. Qualcomm gained 11 percent after expanding its partnership with Stellantis for electric vehicle chips.
Ross Stores jumped 8 percent after reporting good results. Estée Lauder soared 12 percent after deciding not to merge with another company called Puig. Zoom Video advanced 9 percent after a better than expected earnings report.
But the market is also worried about rising bond yields.
The 10 year Treasury yield hit its highest level since January 2025. The 30 year yield touched its highest since 2007. This is a big deal because when bond yields go up, stocks often go down.
Indian Market – Range Bound But Holding Up
The Indian market also had a mixed week but managed to close higher.
The Sensex gained 232 points on Friday to close at 75,415 points. For the week, the Sensex was up slightly.
The Nifty 50 rose 65 points on Friday to finish at 23,719 points. On a weekly basis, the Nifty gained 0.32 percent.
The Bank Nifty performed a little better. It gained 0.64 percent for the week and closed at 54,055 points.
Technically, the Nifty is trading in a range between 23,300 and 24,000 points. Every time it tries to go above 24,000, profit booking happens. Every time it falls toward 23,300, buying interest comes in.
The immediate support level is around 23,000 to 23,300 points. The resistance level is at 24,000 to 24,300 points.
If the Nifty can break above 23,800 with good volume, it could move toward 24,500. On the downside, the 23,000 to 23,500 zone is expected to act as a strong demand area.
The Bank Nifty ended the week near 54,000 points. It is now approaching a resistance zone between 56,500 and 57,000 points. A breakout above this zone could give a strong boost to the banking sector.
What Moved the Indian Market This Week
Vinod Nair from Geojit Investments Limited said that domestic equities erased early gains because concerns about potential RBI rate hikes and weak manufacturing data outweighed optimism from falling crude prices.
In simple words, even though oil prices fell, people are still worried about what the Reserve Bank of India might do next.
Vijay Kumar from Geojit added that the full impact of the energy crisis may become visible in the first quarter of the next financial year. That means companies might report lower profits in the coming months.
The market is also watching the progress of peace talks between the US and Iran. Any positive news could push oil prices down further, which would be good for India. Any negative news could send oil prices back up.
SEBI Crackdown on Finfluencers
This week, SEBI took strong action against several unregistered finfluencers.
These were people on social media who gave stock tips to their followers. The way they worked was simple. They bought small stocks first. Then they told their followers to buy the same stocks. Once prices went up, they sold their shares and made big profits. Their followers were left holding stocks that then crashed.
SEBI banned these individuals from the stock market. It also ordered the freezing of their bank accounts. The regulator said that using social media to manipulate stock prices destroys market integrity and hurts retail investor confidence.
This is an important warning. If you follow stock tips on Telegram or WhatsApp, be very careful. Many of these finfluencers are not registered and do not have your best interest in mind.
What to Watch Next Week
Next week will be important for several reasons.
First, the US will release the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index. This is the inflation measure that the Federal Reserve prefers to watch. If this number comes high, markets could fall. If it comes lower than expected, markets could rally.
Second, any news about the US Iran peace talks will move oil prices and therefore stock markets.
Third, several major companies will report earnings. Costco, Best Buy, and Dollar Tree will announce their quarterly results. Investors will watch these reports to understand how consumers are handling high prices.
Fourth, Salesforce and Dell Technologies will report earnings. Both companies are connected to AI infrastructure spending. Their results will give clues about whether AI demand is still strong or starting to slow.
Fifth, India will have derivatives expiry next week. This usually brings higher volatility as traders close or roll over their positions.
One last thing. This week, the Federal Reserve minutes showed that officials are increasingly worried about persistent inflation. Some officials are now open to raising interest rates later in 2026 if inflation does not cool.
This is a big change from earlier this year when everyone was expecting rate cuts. If the Fed actually raises rates, stock markets around the world could see a sharp correction.
Final Thoughts
Stock markets are caught between two forces right now.
On one side, falling oil prices and potential peace in the Middle East are positive for stocks.
On the other side, rising bond yields, persistent inflation, and possible rate hikes are negative for stocks.
The market will react to news in the coming weeks. The best approach for regular investors is to stay selective. Focus on good quality companies. Do not chase stocks just because they are going up. And do not take trading tips from social media.
Stay patient. Stay informed. And let the market do its thing.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, or trading recommendations. Stock market investments are subject to market risks. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The author and website owner are not registered investment advisors. You should conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
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