Financial News on August 18, 2026

3. According to AFP report on August 17, NVIDIA is negotiating a $1.5 billion investment into SB Energy—the U.S. subsidiary of SoftBank—builder of OpenAI’s Ohio data center campus. The two parties are also discussing additional credit support from NVIDIA for the project. 4. Goldman Sachs has been appointed sole lender for NVIDIA’s $500 billion AI infrastructure financing initiative and is actively recruiting institutional investors to participate. This program is jointly established with six major asset management firms: BlackRock, Blackstone, Apollo, Brookfield, and KKR. 5. On August 17, the yield on U.S. 30-year Treasury bonds surged to 5.31%, the highest since June 2007; the 10-year Treasury yield rose to approximately 4.73%. The sharp rise in long-end yields reflects market concerns over fiscal deficits and persistent inflation. 6. International oil prices rose significantly on August 17: NYMEX September light crude futures gained $2.10 to close at $84.50 per barrel (+2.55%); ICE Brent October crude futures rose $2.35 to settle at $90.87 per barrel (+2.65%). Stalled U.S.-Iran negotiations intensified supply concerns. 7. Precious metal prices advanced on August 17: COMEX December gold futures rose $36.20 to $4,473.70 per ounce (+0.82%); COMEX September silver futures rose $1.117 to $66.231 per ounce (+1.72%). Spot gold briefly breached $4,400 per ounce. 8. On August 17, the New York Fed released data showing its August manufacturing index climbed to 20.6—far exceeding both the consensus forecast of 11 and July’s reading of 15.6—and hitting a four-year high. The new orders index stood at 17.3 and the employment index at 9.3, both within expansion territory; however, the prices paid index rose to 58.6, signaling mounting cost pressures. 9. European stock markets broadly declined on August 17: Germany’s DAX Index fell 0.38% to 26,338.61; France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.66% to 8,579.60; the UK’s FTSE 100 fell 0.28%. Mining and energy stocks posted gains against the broader trend. 10. Japan’s 10-year JGB yield rose 6 basis points to 2.930% on August 17—the highest since September 1996. In Tokyo trading on August 18, it retreated 4.5 basis points to 2.830%. Japan’s Ministry of Finance stated it would maintain a “high sense of urgency” in monitoring market developments. 11. Japan’s Cabinet Office released preliminary Q2 2026 GDP data on August 17: real GDP grew 0.3% quarter-on-quarter (1.1% annualized), below market expectations of 0.4% q/q and 1.9% annualized. Personal consumption growth slowed.

Livelihood Dividend: Weekly Real-Account Record as of September 20, 2026 (For personal record-keeping and post-trade review only—not investment advice)

Weekly Record: September 12, 2026 I. Performance of Major Global Markets This Week: U.S. Markets: Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 1.69% for the week—third consecutive weekly decline—closing Friday at 51,682.64. S&P 500 Index: Down 0.08% for the week, closing Friday at 7,650.50. Nasdaq Composite Index: Up 0.72% for the week, closing Friday at 26,522.55. Key Characteristics: The Federal Reserve resumed a 25-basis-point rate hike for the first time in three years; the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield briefly surpassed 5%; technology and semiconductor stocks rebounded strongly in the latter half of the week—the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged 2.78% on Friday alone. European Markets: Germany’s DAX 30 Index: Down 1.1% for the week, closing Friday at 25,304.06. France’s CAC 40 Index: Down 1.5% for the week, closing Friday at 8,065.02. UK’s FTSE 100 Index: Up 0.1% for the week—the only major European index posting a marginal gain. Key Characteristics: Pressured by expectations of further ECB rate hikes, auto and raw materials stocks led declines, while healthcare stocks rose 2.9%—outperforming all other sectors. Asia-Pacific Markets: A-shares: A pronounced style rotation occurred—CSI 1000 rose 3.51% and CSI 500 rose 2.89% (top performers), the Shanghai Composite rose 0.61%, and the CSI 300 was nearly flat. The electronics sector surged 6.06% for the week, attracting over RMB 14 billion in net inflows from major funds. Hong Kong Stocks: The Hang Seng Index edged down 0.22% for the week; the Hang Seng Tech Index rose 1.97%, outperforming the broader market. Japan & Korea: The Nikkei 225 rose 1.4% for the week; Korea’s KOSPI surged 2.7%.

UK's FTSE 100 Steadies After Worst Week Since April as Miners Gain

1 day ago

The UK's FTSE 100 stabilized following a sharp decline, led by gains in mining and oil sectors. Ithaca Energy surged after acquiring Suncor Energy's offshore assets for $842 million amid rising fuel costs and geopolitical tensions.

reuters

2026-10-05

UK's FTSE 100 Steadies After Worst Week Since April as Miners Gain

UK's FTSE 100 Steadies After Worst Week Since April as Miners Gain

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