Market Week: April 20, 2026

The Markets (as of market close April 17, 2026)

Stocks surged last week with the easing of geopolitical tensions that had weighed on equities for weeks. The S&P 500 crossed the 7,000 point barrier, while the NASDAQ achieved its longest winning streak (12 straight sessions) since 1992. Investor optimism was fueled by the ceasefire announced last week and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Large-cap stocks enjoyed a strong performance. Along with the S&P 500 reaching a record high last week, the Dow jumped more than 800 points on Friday alone. Demand for AI and tech shares was also reignited following a period of investor trepidation. Among the market sectors, information technology climbed nearly 8.5%, followed by consumer discretionary and communication services. Utilities, energy, and consumer staples lagged. Crude oil prices fell nearly $13.00 per barrel, or more than 13.0%, by the end of last week, hitting a five-week low. Gold and silver prices remained stable but saw some profit taking as investors rotated back to equities.

Stock Market Indexes

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic News

• Prices at the producer level rose 0.5% in March following increases of 0.5% and 0.6% in February and January, respectively. Producer prices rose 4.0% for the 12 months ended in March, the largest 12-month advance since February 2023. A 1.6% increase in prices for goods accounted for the overall gain in producer prices in March. Prices for services were unchanged last month. Nearly half of the March advance in prices for goods was attributable to a 15.7% rise in gasoline prices. Producer prices less food and energy rose 0.1% last month and 3.8% for the year.

• Import prices rose 0.8% in March after rising 0.9% in February. Prices for imports advanced 2.1% from March 2025 to March 2026, which was the largest 12-month increase since the year ended December 2024. Prices for exports rose 1.6% in March after increasing 1.9% the previous month.

• Industrial production (IP) dropped 0.5% in March but grew 0.7% over the last 12 months. Manufacturing output ticked down 0.1% in March yet increased 0.5% since March 2025. Mining and utilities moved down 1.2% and 2.3%, respectively, last month. Over the last 12 months, mining inched down 0.2%, while utilities rose 3.1%.

• Existing home sales decreased by 3.6% in March 2026 and 1.0% since March 2025. The median existing home price rose to $408,800 in March, 2.7% above the February price of $398,000 and 1.4% over the March 2025 price. Inventory sat at a 4.1-month supply at the current sales pace. Sales of existing single-family homes declined 3.5% last month and 0.3% from March 2025. The median existing single-family home price in March was $412,400, 1.3% above the March 2025 price of $407,300.

• For the week ended April 11, there were 207,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised down by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims for the week ended April 4 was 1.2%, unchanged from the previous week’s rate. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended April 4 was 1,818,000, an increase of 31,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised down by 7,000. States and territories with the highest insured unemployment rates for the week ended March 28 were Massachusetts (2.5%), New Jersey (2.5%), Rhode Island (2.5%), Washington (2.3%), Minnesota (2.2%), California (2.1%), Oregon (2.1%), Illinois (1.9%), New York (1.9%), Michigan (1.8%), Connecticut (1.7%), and Nevada (1.7%). The largest increases in initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended April 4 were in New Jersey (+5,603), Pennsylvania (+2,513), Oregon (+2,182), California (+2,130), and Illinois (+1,652), while the largest decreases were in New York (-1,592), Texas (-1,299), Tennessee (-838), Hawaii (-422), and Louisiana (-315).

• The national average retail price for regular gasoline was $4.123 per gallon on April 13, $0.003 per gallon above the prior week’s price and $0.955 per gallon higher than a year ago. Also, as of April 13, the East Coast price decreased $0.046 to $3.954 per gallon; the Midwest price rose $0.115 to $3.886 per gallon; the Gulf Coast price declined $0.046 to $3.741 per gallon; the Rocky Mountain price ticked up $0.002 to $3.895 per gallon; and the West Coast price decreased $0.019 to $5.377 per gallon.

Eye on the Week Ahead

There’s very little in the way of economic data released this week. The most noteworthy report available is the retail sales report for March. Retail sales jumped 0.6% in February and may be in line for a reduction in sales in March.

Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI, Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates).

News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e., wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Forecasts are based on current conditions, subject to change, and may not come to pass. U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. The principal value of Treasury securities and other bonds fluctuates with market conditions. Bonds are subject to inflation, interest-rate, and credit risks. As interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall. A bond sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 largest, publicly traded companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. The U.S. Dollar Index is a geometrically weighted index of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to six foreign currencies. Market indexes listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.