Today's Recap · Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Stocks slip as oil jumps and inflation watch takes center stage
A broad pullback in U.S. equities comes as crude climbs, volatility eases, and traders eye Wednesday’s inflation reading.
The big picture. U.S. stocks finish lower across the board, with the S&P 500 down 0.3%, the Nasdaq down 0.6%, and the Dow down 0.3%. The Russell 2000 bucks the trend and rises 0.3%. Sector action is mixed, Energy and Utilities lead, while Real Estate and Comm Svcs lag.
The tape comes with calmer volatility. The VIX falls 1.2% to 15.28, and the VIX 9-day drops 25.7% to 12.52. On the rates side, the 10-Yr Treasury yield slips 0.3% to 4.684% while the 5-Yr and 30-Yr also ease.
Overseas, Asia and most of Europe are firmer. The Nikkei rises 2.1%, the Hang Seng gains 1.1%, and the Shanghai Comp. adds 0.7%. In Europe, the DAX, CAC 40, and Stoxx 600 all edge higher, while Brazil’s Bovespa falls 2.5%.
Crypto is mostly softer. Bitcoin slips 0.4% to 63,674.8008, Ethereum gains 0.6%, and the total crypto market cap is down 0.1% to $2.3T.