Today's Recap · Friday, October 2, 2026
Stocks rise, VIX drops after weak jobs data jolts markets
The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and small caps all finish higher as volatility falls and Treasury yields hold near cycle highs.
The big picture. U.S. stocks end higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.7% to 7,722.7, the Nasdaq Comp. up 1.2% to 27,190.9, the Dow up 0.5% to 51,177.0, and the Russell 2000 up 0.9% to 2,832.9. The VIX drops 6.6% to 15.31, while the S&P 500’s intraday path stays choppy before closing near the middle of the day’s range.
Sector action is broad but led by growth. Discretionary rises 1.1%, Tech gains 1.0%, Industrials adds 0.8%, and Materials climbs 0.7%. Health is flat at minus 0.0%, while Financials, Energy, Staples, Utilities, Real Estate, and Comm Svcs all finish with smaller gains.
Treasury yields stay elevated. The 5-Yr Treasury rises to 5.055, the 10-Yr to 5.277, and the 30-Yr to 5.63. Credit is softer, with LQD down 0.2% and MUB down 0.4%, while HYG is basically unchanged.
Overseas, Japan stands out. The Nikkei 225 jumps 3.3%, while the Kospi rises 2.0% and the Bovespa gains 2.6%. Europe is mixed to lower, with the FTSE 100 up 0.3% but the DAX down 1.0%, the CAC 40 down 1.6%, and the Stoxx 600 down 1.3%. Crypto is mixed, with Bitcoin down 0.4% and Ethereum off 1.6% as total crypto market value falls 3.0% to $2.9T.