Weekly recap: Energy jumps 7.67% as major indexes split

U.S. equities finished the August 10–14, 2026 week with a narrow split among the major indexes. The S&P 500 gained 0.36% and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.14%, while the Dow fell 0.56%. Energy led the sector table by a wide margin, Treasury yields moved in opposite directions across maturities, and the VIX declined even as several followed growth stocks posted double-digit moves.

The week in 5 points

1. The headline indexes diverged. From the August 7 close to August 14, the S&P 500 rose 0.36% and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.14%, while the Dow declined 0.56%.
2. Energy separated from the pack. XLE gained 7.67%; utilities and communication services followed at 1.59% and 1.51%. Materials lost 0.59%, while consumer discretionary fell 1.37%.
3. Inflation data were mixed, and retail sales weakened. July CPI rose 0.1% month over month and 3.4% year over year; core CPI rose 0.2% and 2.5%. Final-demand PPI was unchanged on the month and up 4.7% over 12 months. July retail and food-services sales fell 0.6% from June but were 5.0% above July 2025.
4. The yield curve moved in two directions. The official 2-year Treasury par yield fell 2 basis points to 4.17%, while the 10-year rose 3 basis points to 4.68%.
5. Index volatility eased, but single-stock dispersion stayed large. The VIX traded between 14.18 and 15.72 and closed at 14.25, down 4.36% for the week; selected liquid followed names ranged from +64.21% to -12.65%.

Sector scoreboard

Your tickers this week

The combined watchlist and portfolio universe contained 104 unique symbols after overlaps were removed. Fifty-four U.S.-listed names had both an August 7 historical close and an August 14 regular-session close available for a like-for-like weekly comparison. Instruments without equivalent coverage remained outside the mover ranking rather than being estimated.

Notable earnings

Next week

• Monday, August 17: the Empire State Manufacturing Survey is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET.
• Tuesday, August 18: July import and export prices and new residential construction are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET, industrial production for 9:15 a.m. ET, and pending home sales for 10:00 a.m. ET.
• Wednesday, August 19: the current Nasdaq calendar lists no earnings from the followed universe; calendars can change.
• Thursday, August 20: initial jobless claims and the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET.
• Friday, August 21: state employment and unemployment are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET. Nasdaq lists QNC earnings without a supplied reporting time.

The week combined modest index moves with a sharp energy rally, cooler index volatility, mixed inflation signals and unusually large movement in several followed companies. Those layers describe different risks: an index can stay calm while an individual stock reprices around business results or expectations. This recap is educational market information, not personalized financial advice or an instruction to trade.