Stock Market Update Friday August 8, 2025
Stock Market Update Friday August 8, 2025 U.S. equities opened modestly higher and, in a departure from the recent trend of early-session strength giving way to late-day selling, sustained and extended gains into the close. The S&P 500 finished at the session—and weekly—highs, now within striking distance of record territory.
Performance:
S&P 500 (SPX): +0.8%
Nasdaq-100 (QQQ): +1.0% — marking a fresh all-time high
Russell 2000 (IWM): +0.2% — still lagging, nearly 10% below its peak SPY ETF sits roughly 0.5% shy of its own all-time high.
Away From Stocks: Treasury yields edged higher, with the U.S. 10-year yield climbing to 4.29%. Gold traded in a volatile two-way range amid conflicting headlines on tariffs and trade flows. Crude oil ended marginally lower on the session but remains sharply down week-over-week. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) slipped modestly, finishing the week in the red. Meanwhile, implied volatility continued to compress—VIX settled at 15.32, hovering near the cycle lows for this rally.
📉 Markets, Politics, and the Fed’s Tipping Point
In the full post for premium members, we cover:
Why the new Fed appointment matters for September’s Fed meeting
The real political leverage behind the Fed Chair transition
How geopolitical moves could shift commodities and emerging markets
The two August catalysts that could turn Fed messaging more dovish
