Mücahithan Avcıoğlu
19 August 2026•Update: 19 August 2026
US stocks closed lower for a third consecutive session Tuesday as elevated global bond yields and oil prices fueled inflation concerns, while a sharp decline in semiconductor and data-storage stocks weighed on the technology sector.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 116.38 points, or 0.22%, to finish at 53,343.4.
The S&P 500 declined 53.3 points, or 0.69%, to 7,691.76, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 355.2 points, or 1.33%, to close at 26,289.71.
Western Digital fell around 7.4%, while Sandisk declined 9% and Marvell Technology dropped about 7.8%.
The market’s volatility index, known as the VIX or “fear index,” rose 4.28% to 15.84.
Government bond yields remained elevated after reaching multiyear highs during the session. The yield on the 30-year US Treasury bond climbed to its highest level since 2007, while the benchmark 10-year yield finished around 4.708%.
Bond yields have risen amid concerns that elevated energy prices could keep inflationary pressures persistent and leave interest rates higher for longer.
Oil prices extended their gains as hopes faded for progress toward ending the Middle East conflict.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said Washington was not engaged in any “talks or conversations” with Iran and that no negotiations were scheduled, adding that the US naval blockade remained in full force.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.8% to $85.19 per barrel.
European markets also decline
European stock exchanges closed mostly lower Tuesday as higher borrowing costs, inflation concerns and uncertainty surrounding the Middle East weighed on risk appetite.
The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 fell 0.69% to 651.9 points, its lowest closing level in more than two weeks.
Germany’s DAX declined 0.8% to 26,128.36, while France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.82% to 8,509.36.
Italy’s FTSE MIB recorded the steepest decline among major European markets, falling 1.06% to 53,017.84, while Spain’s IBEX 35 lost 0.24% to end at 19,934.9.
Britain’s FTSE 100 bucked the negative trend, edging up 0.07% to 10,728.04, supported by energy shares.
Technology stocks led the European losses as higher yields weighed on growth-oriented companies, while energy stocks gained alongside oil prices. Germany’s 10-year government bond yield reached its highest level since 2011.