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U.S. stocks end mixed as Dow rises and Nasdaq falls after volatile week

U.S. stocks end mixed as Dow rises and Nasdaq falls after volatile week

The S&P 500 edged up 0.05% while the Dow added about 236 points and the Nasdaq fell 0.64%, as investors weighed AI spending worries, Intel’s drop, Trump tariff plans, Middle East tensions and mixed July PMI data.

Fact Check
Two authoritative primary financial sources (Yahoo Finance and WSJ live coverage) confirm US stocks declined on July 23, 2026, with a tech-led selloff. The Nasdaq led losses (WSJ intraday -2.7%, Yahoo close -2.6%), the S&P 500 fell ~1.4%, and the Dow ~1.1% — matching the claim's ordering and near the reported magnitude. The claim's specific intraday figures (Nasdaq -2.05%, S&P -1.12%, Dow -1.05%) represent an earlier intraday snapshot before the decline widened, fully consistent with the reported trajectory. Slight numeric variation reflects the timing of the intraday snapshot rather than a factual discrepancy.
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Summary

U.S. stocks closed mixed at the end of a volatile week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.46%, or 235.6 points, to 51,947.25, and the S&P 500 added 0.05%, or 3.68 points, to 7,411.98, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.64%, or 161.87 points, to 24,975.82. The week was marked by pressure on technology and AI-linked shares, swings in oil prices and benchmark U.S. Treasury yields reaching their highest level this year. Investors balanced earnings, trade policy, geopolitical risk and economic data. Intel fell 7.9% despite reporting 25% year-over-year second-quarter revenue growth and forecasting third-quarter revenue of $15.8 billion to $16.8 billion. Markets were also digesting concerns about rising capital spending tied to AI investments, uncertainty around tensions in the Middle East, and mixed July PMI readings, with manufacturing at 53.8 and services at 53.6. The VIX eased 0.59% to 18.59.

Terms & Concepts
  • Treasury yields: Returns investors earn on U.S. government bonds.
  • Section 301: U.S. trade law used to investigate unfair trade practices and support tariff actions.
  • PMI: Purchasing Managers’ Index, a survey-based measure of business activity.