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Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq rise as Fed rate-hike fears fade

The move followed a July jobs report showing 23,000 fewer jobs and a 4.1% unemployment rate, while investors looked ahead to next week’s CPI release.

Sunday, August 9, 2026 · Written up by our desk · Indices

US stocks finished higher as investors reassessed Federal Reserve rate-hike expectations after a surprise decline in job growth, according to Yahoo Finance. The Dow edged up by almost 0.3%, the S&P 500 rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained about 1.3%.

All three indexes notched weekly gains, with the Nasdaq up 5% and the S&P 500 gaining nearly 3.5%, as markets digested what a weaker labor report could mean for the Fed’s next policy decision.

Attention then turned to upcoming inflation data, with the Consumer Price Index scheduled for next Wednesday, which Yahoo Finance said would provide another signal on the likely policy path. The story also flagged oil weakness tied to uncertainty around tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz, after reports of explosions linked to Iran intercepting “hostile targets” and ongoing efforts by Iran and Oman to reopen the strait.

In the background, the July jobs report showed the US economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs, while unemployment ticked down slightly to 4.1%, versus economist expectations of 80,000 job gains and 4.2% unemployment, according to Yahoo Finance.

Latest closeS&P 500 7,709.96 ▼0.2%|Nasdaq Comp. 26,348.35 ▼0.1%|Dow Jones 53,885.10 ▼0.8%

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