Equities
US stocks from published closing prices: the benchmark indexes and what they returned, the eleven sectors ranked, how much of the market’s gain comes from its largest companies, and what options say about the month ahead.
The indexes today
FRED and Yahoo Finance · closes to Oct 22, 2026S&P 500
7,757.17
+0.6% on the day
FRED · Oct 21
Nasdaq Composite
26,008.86
−2.6% on the day
FRED · Oct 22
Dow
52,867.98
0.0% on the day
FRED · Oct 22
Russell 2000
2,775.90
−0.3% on the day
Yahoo Finance · Oct 23
VIX
19.03
+2.35 points on the day
Cboe via FRED · Oct 22
On Oct 21, 2026 the S&P 500 rose 0.6%; it is up 13.3% this year. The equal-weighted index led it by 3.5% over the month. The VIX closed at 19.03 on Oct 22, 2026.
The benchmark indexes
Price returns, percent, and where each close sits in its past year| Index | Close | 1 day | 1 week | 1 month | This year | 1 year | Year low–high | Place in the range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500Large US companies, weighted by sizeOct 21, 2026 | 7,757.17 | +0.6% | +0.5% | −0.1% | +13.3% | +15.2% | 6,343.72 to 7,818.93 | |
| Nasdaq CompositeEvery Nasdaq-listed stockOct 22, 2026 | 26,008.86 | −2.6% | −2.6% | −4.5% | +11.9% | +14.4% | 20,794.64 to 27,599.89 | |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average30 large companies, weighted by priceOct 22, 2026 | 52,867.98 | 0.0% | +1.3% | +1.9% | +10.0% | +13.5% | 45,166.64 to 54,349.12 | |
| Russell 2000Small US companies (Yahoo Finance)Oct 23, 2026 | 2,775.90 | −0.3% | +2.0% | −2.2% | +11.8% | +11.8% | 2,305.11 to 3,068.42 |
Price returns, without dividends. “This year” runs from the last close of the previous year.
- S&P 500, close
S&P Dow Jones Indices, Nasdaq and Cboe, via FRED, Daily closes: S&P 500 (SP500), Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQCOM), Dow (DJIA), VIX (VIXCLS) · data for Oct 22, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:01 PM ET
Sectors
The eleven Select Sector SPDR funds, ranked by their return over a month| Sector | Price, $ | 1 day | 1 week | 1 month | This year | 1 year | Year low–high, $ | Place in the range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EnergyXLE | 69.33 | +2.6% | +1.6% | +11.2% | +55.1% | +55.9% | 43.60 to 69.33 | |
| Consumer staplesXLP | 88.26 | −1.9% | +0.7% | +7.1% | +13.6% | +11.2% | 75.60 to 90.01 | |
| UtilitiesXLU | 42.56 | −0.7% | +0.8% | +7.1% | −0.3% | −5.8% | 39.25 to 47.73 | |
| Health careXLV | 179.28 | −1.1% | +1.5% | +6.2% | +15.8% | +22.8% | 142.84 to 181.30 | |
| FinancialsXLF | 55.90 | −1.3% | +0.7% | +2.5% | +2.1% | +6.4% | 47.81 to 58.56 | |
| Consumer discretionaryXLY | 113.10 | −1.7% | +0.6% | +2.2% | −5.3% | −5.1% | 105.66 to 124.52 | |
| MaterialsXLB | 51.31 | −0.7% | +0.8% | +2.0% | +13.1% | +14.8% | 42.23 to 53.67 | |
| Real estateXLRE | 42.57 | +0.1% | +1.0% | +1.7% | +5.5% | +0.2% | 40.01 to 46.01 | |
| IndustrialsXLI | 164.62 | −1.3% | −1.9% | −3.2% | +6.1% | +6.4% | 147.83 to 186.51 | |
| TechnologyXLK | 183.23 | +0.5% | −0.1% | −6.2% | +27.3% | +26.8% | 127.50 to 202.00 | |
| Communication servicesXLC | 105.51 | −1.8% | −4.4% | −6.3% | −10.4% | −8.5% | 105.38 to 120.08 |
Each fund holds the S&P 500 companies in its sector, weighted by size; its price return stands for the sector’s.
Yahoo Finance, Daily closes: Russell 2000 (^RUT), Select Sector SPDR funds, RSP and SPY · data for Oct 23, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:24 PM ET
Equal weight against cap weight
Is the whole market rising, or its largest companies?- RSP ÷ SPY, a year ago = 100
A falling line means the average S&P 500 company is lagging the index, so the index’s gains come from fewer, larger companies. Over the past month the equal-weighted fund did +3.5% relative to the cap-weighted one.
Yahoo Finance, Daily closes: Russell 2000 (^RUT), Select Sector SPDR funds, RSP and SPY · data for Oct 23, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:24 PM ET
Volatility
The VIX: what S&P 500 options price for the next 30 days- VIX
The VIX closed at 19.03 on Oct 22, 2026, at or above 76% of closes in the past year (low 13.47, high 31.05). A reading of 20 means options price S&P 500 moves of about 20% a year, or about 1.3% a day.
S&P Dow Jones Indices, Nasdaq and Cboe, via FRED, Daily closes: S&P 500 (SP500), Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQCOM), Dow (DJIA), VIX (VIXCLS) · data for Oct 22, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:01 PM ET
ARCANE reporting
Published investigations, newest first
The Numbers Disagree
Bond losses hit Norway’s wealth fund despite a gain in stocksNorway’s wealth fund lost money as bonds fell and the krone strengthened, exposing a risk for pension savers and institutions that rely on bonds to cushion portfolios.
Rates · Oct 22, 2026
The Numbers Disagree
Apple faces pressure on iPhone profits as supplier doubts growA company earnings release will test whether guided growth can offset weaker refund support and rising memory costs for Apple equity holders.
Equities · Oct 19, 2026
The Numbers Disagree
Cement prices in the UAE have outrun the forecast for building costsBuyers of construction work carry more of the risk of rising prices when a quoted price for some materials may be guaranteed for only about a month, and one cement producer says its average selling price is higher than a year ago.
Construction materials · Oct 1, 2026
The Numbers Disagree
China's factories speed up while home shoppers stall, widening a demand gapFaster output is leaning on export orders, leaving Chinese manufacturers exposed if overseas buyers pull back before households at home start spending more.
Manufacturing · Sep 24, 2026
Sources
Every number above, where it comes from and when it was read- S&P Dow Jones Indices, Nasdaq and Cboe, via FREDDaily closes: S&P 500 (SP500), Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQCOM), Dow (DJIA), VIX (VIXCLS)Data for Oct 22, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:01 PM ET
- Yahoo FinanceDaily closes: Russell 2000 (^RUT), Select Sector SPDR funds, RSP and SPYData for Oct 23, 2026 · read Oct 23, 6:24 PM ET