Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Wall Street delivered a mixed session on Tuesday as a blue-chip rally lifted the Dow Jones by 1.03% to 52,747.32, while tech-heavy averages struggled. The S&P 500 managed a 0.21% gain to 7,428.78 and the Russell 2000 added 0.20% to 2,953.8, but the Nasdaq slipped 0.22% to 24,876.912 as investors rotated out of high-growth hardware. In the broader markets, the VIX cooled by 2.46% to 18.21, Gold fell 1.18% to 4,028.8, and WTI Crude plunged 4.21% to 79.13 as geopolitical risk premiums faded on reports of indirect US-Iran ceasefire talks.

Sectors in focus

• Blue-Chips & Beverages: Strong earnings and raised guidance from Coca-Cola, alongside positive free cash flow at Boeing, propelled the Dow higher and lifted the broader Beverages industry by 3.61%. The Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals group also surged, leading all sectors with a 5.41% gain.
• Semiconductors & Hardware: The Nasdaq lagged as Semiconductors & Related Devices tumbled 5.91%, dragged down by anxieties over AI spending sustainability and reports of Chinese advancements in DUV lithography. Related tech hardware, including Computer Storage Devices (-5.71%) and Electrical Industrial Apparatus (-7.48%), were among the day's worst performers.

On the radar

• July 29: The highly anticipated FOMC interest rate decision and Chair Kevin Warsh's press conference take center stage, alongside Q2 earnings from Microsoft, Meta, and Mastercard.
• July 30: Focus shifts to macro health with the US Q2 GDP Advance Estimate and Core PCE Price Index, followed by major Q2 earnings from Apple and Amazon.
• July 31: The week closes with the Q2 Employment Cost Index and Eurozone Flash HICP Inflation data.