Wednesday, 19 August 2026: Markets slide again as oil jumps and bond yields hit multi-year highs

US equity markets weaker for a third straight session, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq booking their largest daily percentage declines since 29 July as fading hopes for a US-Iran peace deal continued to pushed oil prices higher, while investors also continued to eye bond yields that are at multi-year peaks – Dow eased -116-points or 0.22%. Caterpillar Inc (down -4.63%) was the worst performer in the 30-stock index.  The broader S&P500 fell -0.69% to 7,691.76. The S&P 500 has retreated ~1.37% since logging a record closing high of 7,798.99 last Thursday (12 August). Information Technology fell -1.93% to lead seven of the eleven primary sectors lower, with memory stocks under particular pressure. Sandisk Corp (down -9.01%) and Seagate Technology Holdings Plc (-9.13%) fell over >9%. Energy (up +1.79% to a record closing high of 972.35) and Health Care (+1.59%) rose over >1.5%.