Nasdaq closes at a record as AI trade extends; Dow and financials lag — September 22, 2026
The Session
U.S. stocks finished mixed on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with technology shares carrying the Nasdaq to a record close while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped. The S&P 500 ended essentially unchanged, edging down 0.06 points, or less than 0.1%, to 7,764.64, leaving it about 0.4% below the all-time high it set last month[1]. The Dow fell 185.14 points, or 0.4%, to 51,863.69, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 122.18 points, or 0.5%, to 27,244.28[1]. The small-cap Russell 2000 added 14.56 points, or 0.5%, to 2,889.92[1].
Energy prices and the artificial-intelligence trade set the tone. Stocks were broadly higher in the morning, when Brent crude briefly fell below $98 a barrel, but oil trimmed its losses and Brent settled at $99.25[1]. Crude had been sliding on reports of possible diplomatic movement on the Strait of Hormuz, while President Trump told the United Nations that a U.S.-Iran deal would come "right after the election" in November, an uncertain timeline that moderated the decline[5]. Chip and AI-linked names again led the advance, with the enthusiasm around Meta's Muse AI agent — which overtook ChatGPT as the most-downloaded free iPhone app — cited as the latest catalyst[2][3].
That same AI story worked against financials, the day's clear laggard. The S&P 500 financial index fell about 2% and the benchmark's bank index dropped about 3%, as investors weighed potential AI disruption to traditional wealth-management businesses, a flattening yield curve and delays to AI data-center IPOs including SB Energy and Holtec[3]. The gap between two- and 10-year Treasury yields touched its flattest level since March 2025, reaching a low of 17.90 basis points before closing around 21 basis points, down from 55.5 basis points on August 18[3].
In the bond market, yields were little changed. The 10-year Treasury yield finished less than a basis point lower at 4.959%, while the 2-year yield fell about one basis point to 4.743%, with traders awaiting fresh jobs data and Federal Reserve commentary[4].
Top Gainers
| Viking Therapeutics VKTX | +27.00% | Shares surged after the company reported positive topline results from a maintenance-dosing study of its obesity drug VK2735, which retained up to 97% of prior weight loss when patients moved from weekly to every-other-week injections[6]. |
| Vicor VICR | +19.90% | The power-components maker closed up 19.85% after raising its third-quarter sequential revenue growth guidance from nearly 10% to more than 20%, citing royalties from a new non-exclusive license of its Vertical Power Delivery technology[7][8]. |
| Shopify SHOP | +7.10% | Shares rose about 7% after the company said it would work with Meta's personal AI agent, Muse, to enable agentic checkout through Shop Pay on Shopify stores[2][9]. |
| SanDisk SNDK | +6.80% | The memory maker gained after Rosenblatt Securities initiated coverage with a buy rating and a $2,400 price target[2][9]. |
| Amgen AMGN | +4.30% | The biotech was among the Dow's best performers after reporting positive Phase 3 trial results for an investigational treatment for Sjögren's disease[9]. |
| AutoZone AZO | +3.30% | The auto-parts retailer's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings beat Wall Street expectations, though revenue and same-store sales missed forecasts[9]. |
Top Losers
| Charles Schwab SCHW | -6.10% | The brokerage led financial-sector losses as investors reassessed its rate-sensitive earnings amid the latest Federal Reserve rate commentary and a flattening yield curve, with added concern about AI disruption to wealth management[3]. |
| Allstate ALL | -5.40% | The insurer fell 5.40% as investors continued to react to its disclosure of an estimated $748 million in August catastrophe losses, part of $1.43 billion for July and August combined[10][11]. |
| Ameriprise Financial AMP | -4.40% | The wealth manager was among the biggest decliners in a financial sector pressured by AI-disruption worries and the narrowing spread between short- and long-dated Treasury yields[3]. |
| Quest Diagnostics DGX | -4.10% | The lab operator dropped after a finding that Medicare testing payments run about 16% above private-sector rates, prompting plans to adjust them[9]. |
| Raymond James Financial RJF | -3.00% | The brokerage fell more than 3%, dragged lower alongside Charles Schwab in the broad financial-sector selloff[3]. |
References
- How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday 9/22/2026 — Associated Press (via WTOP)
- Stock market news for Sept. 22, 2026 — Nasdaq rises to new record; S&P 500 closes flat as oil slides for a fifth day — CNBC
- Financial stocks fall with AI and flattening yield curve in focus — Reuters (via KELO-AM)
- Treasury yields are little changed as traders await Fed comments — CNBC
- Stock market today: Dow slips, Nasdaq posts fresh record with AI trade, Trump diplomacy in focus — Yahoo Finance
- Viking Therapeutics Shares Surge 27% Following VK2735 Weight-Loss Study Results — Yahoo Finance
- Vicor Corp Stock (VICR) Closed Up by 19.85% on Sep 22: Facts Behind the Movement — TradingKey
- Vicor Shares Jump Nearly 9.9% After Company Raises Third-Quarter Revenue Outlook — Yahoo Finance
- Stocks defining today's market include SanDisk, Lennar, Viking Therapeutics, Shopify, GameStop and others (CNBC midday movers roundup) — moomoo
- Allstate Corp Stock (ALL) Moved Down by 5.40% on Sep 22: Key Drivers Unveiled — TradingKey
- August 2026 Monthly Release — Allstate estimates $748 million in August catastrophe losses — PR Newswire / The Allstate Corporation
Figures are for the trading session shown, compiled from the cited sources. Informational only — not investment advice.