Wall Street Wrap: How the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq Performed

October 13, 2026 | ATN Trade & Finance

US stocks ended Monday's session barely changed — a deceptively calm finish that masked a day of concentrated selling in semiconductors and healthcare as Q3 earnings season opened with the big banks reporting mixed results.

The Closes

The S&P 500 settled at 7,805, down just 2 points (-0.02%), holding the 7,800 level throughout the afternoon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 180 points (-0.35%) to close at 51,670. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 42 points (-0.15%) to 27,204. The Russell 2000 small-cap index also slipped, down approximately 0.40% to 2,783. About 56% of US-listed issues declined on the day.

What Moved the Market

Bank earnings drove the early narrative but ultimately left the tape close to flat. Goldman Sachs surged roughly 4–5% after its extraordinary 30% EPS beat. UnitedHealth jumped a similar amount after beating Q3 estimates and raising its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to at least $20.50. Citigroup also gained after its clean double beat.

The offsetting pressure came from two fronts. Technology lagged badly as memory chip stocks sold off: Micron, Sandisk, and Western Digital fell sharply on reports that Chinese chipmaker CXMT is closing the gap on memory technology, stoking competition fears. Applied Materials dropped approximately 7% following its Analyst Day. In healthcare, large-cap pharma declined and several medtech names disappointed on revenue.

Energy was the one bright spot, with refiners — Valero, Marathon Petroleum, PBF, and Delek — gaining on elevated diesel prices. Brent crude settled at $105.69 and WTI at $94.14. Gold closed at $4,177.30/oz.

Macro Backdrop

The 10-year Treasury yield held at 5.223%, and the US dollar index was at 102.20. New York Fed President John Williams said one more rate hike may still be appropriate this year but likely not needed in 2027 — a marginally dovish signal that provided little lift. Investors were also positioning ahead of Tuesday's US inflation report, which represents the next major macro catalyst for rate expectations.

What this means for investors: Monday's session confirmed the Q3 earnings divergence theme: Wall Street trading desks and healthcare managed care beat, while chip equipment and pharma disappointed. The index-level calm is misleading — underneath, sector rotation was active and the selling in semiconductors was notable. Tuesday's CPI print will set the tone for whether the 10-year can remain below 5.3% and whether equities can break out of the tight range they have been holding.

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Wall Street Wrap: How the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq Performed

Wall Street Wrap: How the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq Performed

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