NYSE Research
Insights that connect you to opportunity
At the New York Stock Exchange we strive to preserve integrity, drive innovation and promote greater understanding of our markets.
Daily U.S. Market Update
May 18, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. EST
Friday weakness carried through overnight as futures opened lower and were down ~1% at their nadir. They recouped those losses throughout the morning following several headlines out of Middle East outlets that pushed oil lower. The S&P 500 opened slightly higher but then pulled back as more Iranian headlines took a pessimistic turn.
Currently the S&P 500 is just under 7400, down 0.3%. Semis and memory weakness from Friday has continued while software and the AI-disruption fears basket is higher . Traders are also looking ahead to the big Nvidia earnings results. The AI weakness is masking improved market breadth. The equal-weight is higher and outperforming by ~0.5%, and the same with profitable small caps (S&P 600) but the Russell 2000 is lagging, down a little under 1% as several higher-risk areas get hit: neoclouds/data centers, crypto, quantum among them.
Tech is lagging, and Utilities and Industries are also down ~0.5%. The Utilities weakness is mainly from NextEra’s following confirmation of the monster deal to acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock transaction totaling >$65B. Industrials are seeing weakness from construction and electrical names as the AI trade stumbles again today. All other sectors are flat to higher, with Energy leading on the commodities gains (nat gas names trading well in particular). Financials are strong as well, with banks up modestly and the AI-disruption/software names with strong gains, along with payments and insurance. Oil was down earlier on the first wave of optimistic headlines but the later, pessimistic headers have pushed crude just over 1% but off the highs. US natural gas is also up 3%. Precious metals turned lower as oil rose, currently around flat.
Research Insights
Behind the Record Volumes: A Hidden Opportunity
The NYSE Closing Auction has long been the largest single liquidity event in US equities trading and, lately, every calendar quarter has brought new volume records. Read now
Smaller Round Lots: Tighter Spreads, But Thinner Liquidity
Discover how shrinking round lot sizes are sharpening spreads yet quietly thinning out liquidity beneath the surface. Read now
Q3 2025 Options Industry Update
NYSE Research recaps options industry landscape from Q3 2025. Read now
The 2026 NYSE Market Microstructure Conference
NYSE is pleased to announce its 2026 Academic/Industry Market Microstructure research conference. Please see the article for paper submission and registration information. Read now
Find all of NYSE Research's articles on market quality, market structure, auctions, and options.
Daily U.S. Equity Market Statistics
Resources
Exchange Traded
Products
Exchange-traded products are one of the fastest growing investment products in the world, combining the simplicity of stocks with the diversified risk of mutual funds.
NYSE Pillar®
Our new integrated trading technology platform that will enable member firms to connect to all of our equities and options markets using a single specification.
Options
Through a dual options market structure, traders and brokers have choice and flexibility that comes from a mixture of electronic trading and open outcry interaction.
ICE Vox
Get news and insights from ICE.