10 things that mattered on Monday, September 21, 2026
Chip stocks carried the S&P 500 up 1.6% to within 0.6% of its record. Most other stocks stayed behind, and NYSE new lows still outnumbered new highs by more than six to one.
- 01
The S&P 500 rose 1.6% and sits 0.6% below its record
SPY closed at $773.50, and the Nasdaq 100 gained 2.8%. The equal-weight S&P rose just 0.2%, so a handful of large stocks did most of the work.
SPY, last six months SPY, last six months - 02
Chip stocks jumped 4% and AMD hit a record
The semiconductor fund SMH rose 4.0%, with AMD up 9.9% to a record $615.52, Intel up 12.1% and Arm up 17.2%. Reports tied the rally to hopes for easier chip-licensing terms before Thursday's Trump–Xi meeting in Washington.
SMH (semiconductor fund), last six months SMH (semiconductor fund), last six months - 03
Warner Bros. Discovery rose 10.8% as legal fights ended
Paramount Skydance settled the states' antitrust suit against its $111 billion takeover of the company, and the Writers Guild settled its own case. WBD closed at a record $30.80 on almost 13 times its usual volume.
WBD, last six months WBD, last six months - 04
New lows kept piling up under the rally
On the NYSE, 127 stocks made new 52-week lows and 20 made new highs, for a net reading of −107. That is a rare mix on a day the S&P gains 1.6%.
NYSE-listed new highs minus new lows, last twelve months NYSE-listed new highs minus new lows, last twelve months - 05
The 10-year yield slipped back below 5%
The 10-year Treasury closed near 4.96%, down from 5.00% on Friday. The 2-year held at 4.76%.
10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months 10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months - 06
Oil fell 3.7%
The oil fund USO closed at $148.16. It has now dropped 8.5% from its September 15 close, when Brent hit its peak.
USO (oil fund), last six months USO (oil fund), last six months - 07
The bitcoin fund rose 6.5% to its highest since January
IBIT closed at $49.01, its best level since January 28, and its third straight gain. It is still 31% below its October 2025 high.
IBIT (bitcoin fund), last six months IBIT (bitcoin fund), last six months - 08
The Chicago Fed index shows growth near trend
The national activity index read −0.04 for August, down from 0.08 in July. Its three-month average of 0.01 sits close to zero, the mark for growth at its long-run trend.
Chicago Fed activity index, three-month average, last five years Chicago Fed activity index, three-month average, last five years - 09
The VIX barely moved on a 1.6% rally
Volatility ticked up 0.06 points to 14.87. Usually a strong up day pulls the VIX lower.
VIX, last six months VIX, last six months - 10
Due Tuesday: M2 money supply and AutoZone
The Fed's August money-supply figures are scheduled. AutoZone reports before the open.
Data as of the Monday, September 21, 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.