US stock indices continued their downward trend.

The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 closed lower on May 18, as investors took profits on technology stocks, while soaring government bond yields and high oil prices fueled concerns about inflation and interest rates.

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange, USA. Photo: THX/VNA

The Nasdaq Composite index fell 134.41 points, or 0.51%, to 26,090.73 points, and the S&P 500 index fell 5.45 points, or 0.07%, to 7,403.05 points, while the Dow Jones index rose 159.95 points, or 0.32%, to 49,686.12 points.

The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds, a benchmark for global borrowing costs, rose to its highest level since February 2025 early in the session, amid concerns that strong inflationary pressures would keep borrowing costs high.

US crude oil prices rose more than 3% after a volatile trading session. However, prices eased after the market closed, and US stocks narrowed their losses following President Donald Trump's announcement that he had temporarily halted a planned attack on Iran to allow for peace talks, after Iran submitted a new peace proposal to the US. He added, however, that the US was prepared to resume attacks if no agreement was reached.

This marks the second consecutive day of declines for both the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500, halting the rally that began in late March 2026. The S&P closed more than 18% higher on May 14th compared to its March 30th closing level, its lowest point since the conflict erupted in late February 2026. During the same period, the Nasdaq Composite rose approximately 28%, as optimism about artificial intelligence and strong earnings from technology companies helped investors overlook the threat of inflation.

According to CME's FedWatch tool, traders are predicting a 36.7% chance that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by another 25 basis points by the end of this year, following better-than-expected inflation data released last week.

In the domestic market, on the afternoon of May 18th, the VN-Index increased by 6.34 points (0.33%), to 1,927.94 points. The HNX-Index increased by 1.83 points (0.71%) to 259.25 points.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thi-truong-tien-te/cac-chi-so-chung-khoan-my-tiep-tuc-da-giam-diem-20260519072810416.htm