Global Economy Briefing for Saturday, September 19, 2026
The S&P 500 closed at 7,650.50 as the Dow fell 1.69% on the week. Gold reached US$4,380 an ounce and the ten-year Treasury yield touched 4.998%.
Rio Times Global Economy Briefing
The Big Three
- Wall Street closed nearly flat but the week split the market. The S&P 500 added 0.17% to 7,650.50 and the Nasdaq Composite 0.39% to 26,522.54. The Dow fell 0.18% to 51,682.64 and lost 1.69% over the five sessions.
- The ten-year Treasury yield touched 4.998% and the dollar index rose 1.1% on the week. The dollar index closed at 100.215, down 0.03% on the day but stronger across the week. Gold rose 0.77% to US$4,380.01 an ounce and silver 1.41% to US$66.35.
- Europe fell while Asia rose, and the week ahead is crowded. The Euro Stoxx 50 dropped 1.37%, the DAX 1.60% and the CAC 40 1.49%. China’s loan prime rates land Monday, Copom minutes Tuesday, flash PMIs Wednesday and Banxico Thursday.
Today’s Economic Calendar — Saturday, September 19, 2026 (times UTC)
| Time | Country | Event | Consensus | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | EU | EcoFin Meeting | — | — |
| 00:00 | CL | Army Day | — | — |
01 A flat Friday closes a divided week
The S&P 500 closed at 7,650.50 on Friday, a gain of 0.17% on the day and a loss of 0.08% on the week. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.39% to 26,522.54 and added 0.72% over the five sessions.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was the outlier. It fell 0.18% to 51,682.64 on Friday and 1.69% on the week.
The volatility index fell 4.08% to 14.81 and is down 6.5% on the week. The S&P 500 sits 2.1% below its 52-week high of 7,816.70 and 21.2% above its low of 6,316.91.
Its 50-day average is 7,617.24, barely below Friday’s close. The 200-day average of 7,183.05 sits well beneath both.
02 Rates and the dollar did the work
The ten-year Treasury yield closed at 4.998%, up 1.03% on the day and 0.46% on the week. That leaves it just shy of the 5% mark.
A market wrap carried by Virginia Business, citing Reuters, said yields topped 5% on Friday. It attributed the move to bets that oil near US$100 a barrel could fuel inflation.
Bloomberg reported on 14 September that the ten-year yield hit 5% for the first time and the dollar jumped the most since June. The move in the currency broadly tracked the move in yields.
The Federal Reserve raised its target range on 16 September, according to the implementation note. The Bank of Japan then lifted its policy rate to 1.25% on Friday, a 31-year high.
The dollar index ended at 100.215, down 0.03% on the day. It is 1.1% higher than the 99.122 reading of 11 September.
The euro weakened 1.01% on the week to 1.1483 and the yen lost 2.15% to 156.85 per dollar. The yen’s decline came even as Tokyo tightened.
The three-month bill yield closed at 3.978%, up 1.66% on the week. The gap between the bill and the ten-year note is roughly one percentage point.
03 Metals hold, energy stalls
Gold rose 0.77% on Friday to US$4,380.01 an ounce and 0.73% on the week. Silver gained 1.41% to US$66.35 and 3.05% over the five sessions.
The gold price sits just below its 50-day average of US$4,381.74 and 1.77% lower than a month ago. Its 52-week high of US$5,595.62 remains far above the current level.
Oil funds slipped. The United States Oil Fund fell 0.96% to US$153.82 and 0.70% on the week, while the Brent tracker BNO lost 0.56% to US$60.57.
Copper held its ground. The CPER tracker rose 1.44% to US$40.23 and 2.68% on the week.
04 Europe sold off, Asia advanced
The Euro Stoxx 50 fell 1.37% to 6,236.20 and 1.41% on the week. The DAX dropped 1.60% to 25,304.06 and the CAC 40 1.49% to 8,065.02.
Asia moved the other way. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.38% to 65,018.95. It added 1.57% over the week.
The Shanghai Composite gained 0.94% to 3,911.87 and the Hang Seng 0.60% to 24,750.78. Shanghai ended the week higher, while the Hang Seng slipped 0.22%.
China’s currency was steady. The yuan closed at 6.6975 per dollar, 0.15% stronger on the day and 0.16% on the week.
05 Latin America’s weaker week
Regional funds fell. The Latin America fund ILF lost 1.16% on Friday. It fell 2.59% over the week.
The Mexico fund EWW dropped 1.28% on the day and 2.71% on the week. The Brazil fund EWZ lost 0.58% and 1.75%.
Mexico’s IPC closed at 63,375.93, down 0.78% on the day and 0.86% on the week. RT’s end-of-day feed shows 63,706.89, a snapshot taken before the close.
Of 35 members with data, 22 fell and 13 rose. Grupo Comercial Chedraui dropped 4.29% and Orbia gained 5.47%.
Currencies weakened. The Colombian peso lost 1.11% on Friday and 2.10% on the week, the Chilean peso 1.75% on the week, and the Mexican peso 1.46%.
Chile’s exchange was closed on Friday for Fiestas Patrias. The last IPSA close was 11,381.18 on 17 September.
06 The week ahead: five dates that matter
China sets its loan prime rates on Monday 21 September. The one-year consensus is 3.0% and the five-year 3.5%, both unchanged from the prior reading.
Brazil’s Copom publishes its meeting minutes on Tuesday 22 September. Mexico reports retail sales the same day, with a year-on-year consensus of 2.5% against 2.7% prior.
| Day (UTC) | Country | Event | Consensus | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 21, 01:15 | CN | Loan Prime Rate 1Y | 3 | 3 |
| Mon 21, 11:30 | BR | BCB Focus Market Readout | — | — |
| Tue 22, 11:00 | BR | Copom Meeting Minutes | — | — |
| Tue 22, 12:00 | MX | Retail Sales YoY | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Wed 23, 08:00 | EU | S&P Global Composite PMI | 51.7 | 52 |
| Wed 23, 13:45 | US | S&P Global Composite PMI | 55.2 | 56 |
| Thu 24, 12:00 | MX | Mid-month Inflation Rate YoY | 3.3 | 3.26 |
| Thu 24, 12:30 | US | Initial Jobless Claims | 202 | 196 |
| Thu 24, 19:00 | MX | Interest Rate Decision | — | 6.5 |
| Fri 25, 12:00 | BR | IPCA-15 YoY | 4.5 | 4.24 |
| Fri 25, 12:30 | US | Durable Goods Orders MoM | -0.5 | 1.1 |
Flash purchasing managers’ surveys land on Wednesday 23 September. The American composite consensus is 55.2 against 56.0 prior, and the euro-area composite 51.7 against 52.0.
Banxico decides on Thursday 24 September with the rate at 6.5%. Mexico also publishes mid-month inflation, with a year-on-year consensus of 3.3% against 3.26% prior.
Brazil’s IPCA-15 for September is released on Friday 25 September. The year-on-year consensus is 4.5% against 4.24% prior.
What to watch today and this week
- China’s loan prime rates, Monday: Consensus is unchanged at 3.0% for the one-year and 3.5% for the five-year.
- Copom minutes, Tuesday: The record of the latest Copom decision.
- Flash PMIs, Wednesday: American composite consensus 55.2, euro-area 51.7, both slightly below the prior readings.
- Banxico, Thursday: The rate stands at 6.5% and mid-month inflation is due the same session.
- Brazil’s IPCA-15, Friday: Year-on-year consensus of 4.5% against 4.24% prior.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Wall Street close on Friday 18 September 2026?
The S&P 500 rose 0.17% to 7,650.50 and the Nasdaq Composite 0.39% to 26,522.54. The Dow fell 0.18% to 51,682.64 and lost 1.69% on the week.
Where did the ten-year Treasury yield finish?
It closed at 4.998%, up 1.03% on the day and 0.46% on the week, just shy of 5%.
What is the gold price?
Gold closed at US$4,380.01 an ounce, up 0.77% on the day and 0.73% on the week. Silver rose 1.41% to US$66.35.
How did European and Asian markets move?
The Euro Stoxx 50 fell 1.37%, the DAX 1.60% and the CAC 40 1.49%. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.38%, the Shanghai Composite 0.94% and the Hang Seng 0.60%.
What is on the calendar next week?
China’s loan prime rates on Monday, Copom minutes on Tuesday, flash PMIs on Wednesday, Banxico on Thursday and Brazil’s IPCA-15 on Friday.
How did Latin American markets perform?
The Latin America fund ILF fell 2.59% on the week and the Mexico fund EWW 2.71%. Mexico’s IPC closed at 63,375.93, down 0.86% on the week.
Sources: Bank of Japan monetary policy statement of 18 September 2026; Federal Reserve implementation note of 16 September 2026; RT end-of-day series and economic calendar; exchange data from B3, BMV, BYMA and the Bolsa de Valores de Colombia; COLCAP from La República.
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