10 things that mattered on Wednesday, September 16, 2026
The Fed raised rates for the first time since 2023, lifting its target a quarter point in the middle of an oil and diesel price shock. Stocks fell for a third day, and the Fear & Greed index slipped into Extreme Fear.
- 01
The Fed raised rates for the first time since 2023
The FOMC lifted the federal funds target range a quarter point to 3.75% to 4.00%, twelve votes to none. It was the first increase since July 2023.
Effective fed funds rate (%), monthly, last five years Effective fed funds rate (%), monthly, last five years - 02
The S&P 500 fell 0.5% for a third straight day
SPY closed at $754.05, 3.1% below its August 13 record. The Dow fell 1.2%, while the Nasdaq 100 finished flat.
SPY, last six months SPY, last six months - 03
The 10-year yield closed at 5.01%
That is its highest close since July 2007. The 2-year yield, the one most tied to Fed policy, rose 7 basis points to 4.74%, its highest since July 2024.
10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months 10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months - 04
Retail sales rose 1.2% in August
Spending at stores and restaurants was 6.0% above a year earlier, up from 5.0% in July. Adjusted for inflation, sales rose 0.8% on the month.
Retail sales, year-over-year change (%), last five years Retail sales, year-over-year change (%), last five years - 05
Fear & Greed slipped into Extreme Fear at 24
It is the lowest reading since June 10. The VIX rose 0.51 points to 17.71.
VIX, last six months VIX, last six months - 06
J.B. Hunt fell 13.3% on a profit warning
Its CFO told a Morgan Stanley conference late Tuesday that third-quarter earnings per share would fall 5% to 10% from the second quarter, on about $25 million of added driver costs and at least $10 million of higher fuel costs. Knight-Swift fell 4.0% and the iShares transportation ETF 2.0%.
JBHT, last six months JBHT, last six months - 07
United is cutting some December flights over fuel
CFO Mike Leskinen told the same conference that fuel prices have made marginal routes unprofitable and that more cuts are possible early next year. He still expects United to recover the higher costs in the fourth quarter, with a lag. The stock fell 0.6% to $106.30.
UAL, last six months UAL, last six months - 08
Brent printed $130.80, its highest since April
EIA data released Wednesday put Brent at $130.80 a barrel on Tuesday, 88% above a year earlier. The oil fund USO fell 3.5% on Wednesday.
Brent crude ($/barrel), last five years Brent crude ($/barrel), last five years - 09
New lows led new highs again on the NYSE
163 stocks made new 52-week lows against 39 new highs, a net of -124. Five of the six sessions since September 9 have been at or below minus 100, with the S&P 500 within 5% of its record.
NYSE-listed new highs minus new lows, last twelve months NYSE-listed new highs minus new lows, last twelve months - 10
Due Thursday: housing starts and jobless claims
August housing starts and building permits come out before the open, along with weekly jobless claims. Freddie Mac's mortgage rate survey follows at midday.
Data as of the Wednesday, September 16, 2026 close. The ten items are picked by fixed rules from the site's daily data (the size of each move, signals that changed state, and economic releases weighted by importance), then checked and written by hand. Charts end on the brief's date. Research and education, not financial advice.