Market Outlook

The major stock market stories for the week of May 26 to May 29, 2026, were propelled by blockbuster AI earnings, a historic Dow milestone, and diplomatic progress in the Middle East, pushing the major indexes to fresh all-time highs. After returning from the Memorial Day holiday, the S&P 500 extended its winning streak to nine consecutive weeks, marking its longest positive run since 2023.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged past a major psychological milestone on Friday, closing above 51,000 for the first time in history to finish at 51,032.46. Over the course of the shortened trading week, the S&P 500 advanced 1.4%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the pack with a 2.4% weekly gain...JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

The U.S. stock market logged its eighth consecutive winning week, driven by strong corporate earnings and AI enthusiasm, closing near record highs despite volatile oil prices and a new low in consumer sentiment.  Despite some choppiness early in the week, the bulls finally got there act together late to push the market higher.  The S&P 500 closed the week up 0.9% and closed just shy of 7,500, achieving its eighth straight weekly gain.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at an all-time record of 50,580.  The tech-heavy Nasdaq continued to rise on the strength of tech, especially some of the AI-related names, although a few names--like AMD, INTC and MU--had volatile weeks...JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

The stock market this past week (Mon. May 11 – Fri. May 15, 2026) was dominated by a tug-of-war between the unstoppable AI rally and growing fears about inflation, oil prices, and higher interest rates.  The stock market experienced a roller-coaster week surging to new all-time highs on Thursday, with the S&P 500 crossing 7,500 and the Dow crossing 50,000 for the first time, before everything came tumbling back down on Friday due to a severe bond market rout, surging oil prices, and renewed inflation fears.  The dominant story early in the week was the artificial intelligence trade.  Semiconductor and infrastructure-related names continued to scream higher dragging the major indexes higher with them...JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

This past week, U.S. stocks gained overall, with the S&P 500 rising 2.3% and the Nasdaq surging an astounding 5.5% on strong AI and tech momentum.  Markets navigated volatile oil prices driven by Middle East tensions, while semiconductor stocks saw significant gains following positive industry developments.  Technology led the gains, with the NASDAQ experiencing a strong week.  Key movers included chip stocks like MU, AMD and QCOM.  INTC shares jumped roughly 16% on reports of a preliminary deal to manufacture chips for AAPL, boosting the semiconductor sector on Friday. Earnings results have remained strong, with roughly 83% of S&P 500 companies beating expectations, alleviating concerns that higher energy costs or tariffs would hit profit margins. JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

Last week--Monday, April 27 to Friday, May 1, 2026--the stock market had a strong week with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at record highs, driven by stellar tech earnings--notably Apple and Google--and continued AI enthusiasm.  The week saw the S&P 500, the Nasdaq  and the Russell all rise significantly as investors looked past ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.  The Nasdaq crossed 25,000 for the first time on May 1, powered by a 3% rise in Apple following strong results. Thursday marked the end of April, which was the best month in the stock market has had in six years.  You have to go back to April of 2020 to find a month this strong.  JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

Last week--Monday, April 20 to Friday, April 24, 2026--the stock market reached record highs, driven by a blockbuster earnings report from Intel and easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, despite a volatile start to the week. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both secured their fourth consecutive week of gains, with the S&P 500 closing above 7,100 for the first time.  The Nasdaq was the standout performer among the indexes due to it holding most tech stocks, which were strong this week, while the Dow (which is not so tech-heavy) was the underperformer among the indexes.  This week's rally was driven by tech.  Intel jumped up 23% on Friday after beating earnings estimates and raising guidance on strong AI-driven CPU demand.  This was the best day Intel has had in 38 years (the dotcom boom) and Intel is now trading at its highest level since 2000.  This boosted the entire tech sector, with companies like Nvidia and AMD also seeing significant gains.  AMD shares surged 10% on Friday because--let's be real--anything Intel can do, AMD can probably do better.JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

The stock market surged during the week of April 13–17 with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting record highs.  Markets rallied on hopes of a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, which intensified after Iran indicated it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz following a ceasefire. This news reversed previous oil price surges, providing relief to global markets.  Banks began reporting solid first-quarter results, indicating economic resilience despite geopolitical tensions.  The tech sector was incredibly strong last week, with Tesla leading the way with a much needed 15% rally, while Microsoft hit its highest weekly increase since 2007.  The tech-heavy Nasdaq experienced its longest winning streak since 1992, rising for thirteen consecutive days.  The S&P 500 officially closed above 7,100.  Already this month, the S&P 500 has climbed almost 10 percent, which would be the best monthly gain since 2020 when markets were rebounding from the pandemic-induced sell-off. JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

The stock market experienced a strong, rally-driven week from April 6 through to April 10, 2026, driven by a potential U.S.-Iran ceasefire easing geopolitical tensions, which caused oil prices to plunge.  A reported two-week pause in the Middle East conflict spurred a massive "risk-on" rally early in the week.  On the news of the ceasefire, oil prices experienced their biggest one-day decline since April 2020, which took some pressure off inflationary concerns, though oil saw some volatility late in the week.  Major indices saw significant gains for the second consecutive week, with the S&P 500 up about 3.6% and the Nasdaq leading with a 4.5% gain, despite a pullback on Friday due to hotter-than-expected inflation data.  JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.BUY DT'S BOOK🛍️ The Super Wheel Options Strategy: https://amzn.to/3v7gAXh

So this week was only a four-day trading, Monday March 30 to Thursday April 2, due to the Good Friday holiday.  The stock market was heavily driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with oil prices surging above $100 and driving volatility.  We saw big gains early in the week followed by a tumultuous Wednesday night trading session due to the Trump's speech, where we saw those early week gains fade.  But markets rebounded late Thursday on potential diplomatic resolutions regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.  With Thursday seeing a sharp decline followed by a rebound to positive territory, that may suggest a desire among traders to avoid weekend risk exposure amid the rising conflict.  I know I tend to flatten out a bit when we have these three-day holidays.  I don't like having a ton of risk over the long weekend, because a lot can happen.  All it takes is one tweet!JOIN THE COMMUNITY VIA PATREON/DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.

The stock market for the week of March 23–27, 2026, was characterized by extreme volatility, driven primarily by shifting headlines regarding the conflict in Iran, fluctuating oil prices, and fears of a long-term bear market.  Stocks surged on Monday Mar 23, with the S&P 500 rising 1.1%, the Dow up 1.4%, and the Nasdaq up 1.4% after President Trump indicated possible, though unconfirmed, peace talks with Iran, easing fears of severe supply chain disruptions.  But optimism quickly faded as Tehran denied negotiations, and reports emerged of continued attacks on energy sites, causing oil prices to rise again and stocks to fall on Thursday...JOIN THE DTOPTIONS DISCORD:Become a "Premium Member" by subscribing on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dtoptions ).  This gets you access to the Discord, including the daily voice chats on market days, as well as access to exclusive video content posted on Patreon, including all of the daily voice chats in their entirety.

For the week of Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2026, the stock market was heavily driven by the ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, fluctuating oil prices, and rising bond yields, which pushed major indices toward a fourth consecutive week of losses.  Despite a brief rally on Monday, markets sank for the rest of the week, with the S&P 500 hitting its lowest close of 2026 on Friday.  The Russell 2000 has not fallen into correction territory.  Technology stocks fell as investors rotated away from growth and cyclical risks, leading to a down week for the Nasdaq.  The market was dominated by fears that the conflict involving Iran would keep interest rates higher for longer and disrupt global energy supplies.

The stock market experienced a volatile week ending March 13, 2026, marked by a third consecutive weekly decline, driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, surging oil prices, and disappointing U.S. employment data.  The major indexes, including the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq and the Russell, fell as investors feared rising inflation and slower economic growth.  The S&P 500 broke below key technical support levels, closing below 6,700 on Thursday, and the Nasdaq dipped below its 200-day moving average. The VIX opened the week trading at 35--just a monster increase in volatility. 

The stock market experienced a volatile week ending March 6, 2026, driven by a "perfect storm" of surging oil prices due to the escalating Iran conflict and a surprisingly weak February jobs report. The major market indices all posted significant weekly losses, with the Dow having its worst week since April 2025.  Oil prices saw their biggest weekly gain since 1983, with WTI crude topping $90 per barrel amid concerns about supply disruptions and U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran.  The February employment report showed a shocking loss of 92,000 nonfarm payrolls, far below expectations of a gain, with the unemployment rate ticking up to 4.4%.  

The Dow suffered its biggest weekly drop since mid-November, falling 1.3%.  One of the reasons for this week's drop in the market was NVDA, which despite reporting strong Q4 results, dropped significantly, signaling potential fatigue in the AI trade and skepticism over the longevity of high-cost, mega-cap capital expenditures.  Market weakness was further driven a hotter-than-expected PPI inflation report, which showed a 0.8% monthly gain, the biggest jump since July 2025, and a 3.6% core year-over-year increase, raising concerns about stubborn inflation and a more hawkish Fed.  President Trump announced that a decision had been made about Iran, hinting that military action was immiment.  That attack began a few hours later.  How will that affect oil and the energy sector next week? 

For the week ending February 20, 2026, the stock market was dominated by a major Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, continued anxiety over Artificial Intelligence (AI) sustainability, and high-stakes anticipation for upcoming Nvidia earnings.  Despite initial volatility, the major indexes closed higher, with the Nasdaq snapping a five-week losing streak.  But the biggest news of the week came on Friday as the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that tariffs imposed by President Trump on most U.S. trading partners in 2025 were illegal, deciding he exceeded his authority...

The stock market experienced a volatile week ending February 13, 2026, with major indices closing in negative territory, driven by intense fears of A.I. disruption, which impacted wealth management, trucking, and real estate.  And the defensive rotation continued as investors moved toward safety, with consumer staples, energy and utilities leading gains.  This flight to safety put major pressure on the big megacap stocks, with some of the Mag 7, like NVDA and AAPL suffering losses this week. 

The stock market experienced a highly volatile week ending, characterized by a massive AI-driven tech sell-off earlier in the week followed by a pretty dramatic rebound on Friday.  In fact, Friday's rally saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average close above the 50,000 level for the first time.  The strength in the Dow was driven by a rotation into defensive and cyclical sectors (such as the industrial, energy, and financial sectors) as investors shifted out of tech.

The stock market experienced a volatile week characterized by a mix of record-highs early in the week, a subsequent retreat, and a focus on the start of fourth-quarter earnings season.  We also had some geopolitical tensions as well as some policy-related volatility. While the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted slight weekly losses, small-cap stocks showed considerable strength.

The stock market rallied to record highs this week, with the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Russell 2000 leading the way higher more so than the Nasdaq, meaning this rally was driven by broad participation and not just the big tech stocks.  We also saw positive sentiment from a weaker-than-expected jobs report suggesting potential Fed rate cuts, and all of this comes ahead of the new earnings season kicking off this week with the big banks set to report.

The S&P 500, the Nasdaq and the Dow all posted losses as 2025 wound down, partly due to profit-taking and a bit of weakness in the tech names. Overall, 2025 was a strong year for the market, with the S&P finishing the year up 16%, the Nasdaq up 20%, and Dow up 13%.  Gold and silver rallied near the year’s end, with precious metals hitting highs before pulling back.

This past week, the stock market saw continued strength driven by AI enthusiasm (especially in chip stocks like Nvidia and AMD).  Market strength was also driven by potential Fed rate cut hopes from softer inflation numbers as reported by the CPI, and rising precious metals (especially silver). Metals related stocks and ETFs rose in sympathy.  FCX had a great week thanks to the rise in copper.  GDX also saw substantial gains due to the rise in gold. 

Last week in the stock market was marked by the resurgence of the AI trade, led by primarily by stocks like  Nvidia and Oracle.  Ther were some early-week jitters, but we had a strong finish late in the week, espoecially for tech stocks.  We also saw a big drop and recovery for Nike, Micron beat on earnings, we had cooler-than-expected CPI data boosting sentiment, and we got a bit of corporate drama with Warner Bros. rejecting Paramount's bid, while cannabis stocks reacted to a Schedule III reclassification, and tech M&A activity picked up with IBM aquiring Confluence. Also, gold and silver neared record highs, while Bitcoin remained volatile but within a range.

This past week in the stock market was defined by a tech pullback, especially in AI, following weak guidance from Broadcom and concerns over Oracle's cloud/AI spending, leading to profit-taking in big tech like Nvidia, though the Dow and small-caps showed strength, hitting new highs as investors rotated into value/cyclical stocks. Also, the Federal Reserve's gave us that widely expected interest rate cut.

The markets have resumed their normal course--up and to the right!  Markets are pricing in more Fed rate cuts, plus recent economic data regarding inflation has been positive.  Both large caps and small caps are doing well.  Tech and non-tech stocks are doing well.  And Netflix bought Warner Brothers Discovery!  Is now the time to get long NFLX?

Major U.S. stock indexes rallied for five straight sessions to close out a volatile November.  Markets are now looking forward to a December rate cut.   Also, early Black Friday sales figure showed a solid start to the holiday season.  Plus, I look at some option trades that I'm considering for this week.

The market continues its slide as weakness in A.I. stocks and bitcoin persists.  The potential Fed Rate cut in December could help ease tensions.  Plus, I look at some option trades that I'm considering for this week.

This past week  was a volatile week for the market and especially tech stocks.  Despite the government shutdown ending, the market sold off as now traders are starting to doubt that the Fed will cut rates in December.  Plus, I look at some option trades that I'm considering for this week.

This past week saw a sharp decline in tech stocks, especially some of the high-flying A.I. stocks.  Volatility greatly increased as the government shutdown continued, the Supreme Court is debating the legality of the Trump tariffs, and inflation and interest rates are still worrisome to the market.  Plus, I look at some option trades that I'm considering for this week.

We had many of the megacap tech stocks report earnings this past week, plus we had the fed rate decision and the Trump/Xi meeting.  How did the markets react?  I'll discuss...plus I'll talk about some potential options trades that I'm looking at this week.

This week say huge gains in the stock market, gold and silver taking a breather, and lots of big companies reporting earnings.  Plus I'll discuss some potential options trades that I'm looking at this week.

This past week the market was choppy as hell.  Huge moves up and down.  Gigantic ranges and crazy swings.  And with all of this volatility comes opportunity.  I'll discuss some potential options trades that I'm looking at this week.

On Friday, the markets tanked due to Trump's threats of 100% tariffs on China.  The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were both down around 3%, which caused a lot of pain to a lot of traders.  But is there opportunity here?

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Market Outlook podcast.  I am your host, Derek Taylor (DT) from the "dtoptions" YouTube channel.  This podcast will discuss the market's performance last week as well as looking ahead to next week's opportunities.  I will also share with you some potential options trades.