Stock Markets July 24, 2026 04:30 PM

U.S. Markets Finish Mixed as Telecoms, Financials and Healthcare Offset Tech Weakness

Dow posts modest gain while Nasdaq slips amid uneven sector performance and volatile small-cap moves

By Nina Shah
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VZ CRM IBM AXP HON

U.S. equity benchmarks closed mixed on Friday as strength in telecom, financials and healthcare stocks lifted the Dow Jones Industrial Average, while losses in technology, utilities and energy pressured the Nasdaq Composite. Market breadth was mixed across exchanges, with notable single-stock volatility on the Nasdaq.

U.S. Markets Finish Mixed as Telecoms, Financials and Healthcare Offset Tech Weakness
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Key Points

  • Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.45% while S&P 500 gained 0.05% and Nasdaq Composite fell 0.64%.
  • Telecoms, Financials and Healthcare led gains; Technology, Utilities and Oil & Gas were among the laggards.
  • Significant single-stock volatility on the Nasdaq produced outsized percentage moves in several micro-cap names.

U.S. stocks closed the week split across major benchmarks on Friday, with gains concentrated in Telecoms, Financials and Healthcare and losses led by Technology, Utilities and Oil & Gas. The session left the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher, the S&P 500 essentially flat and the Nasdaq Composite lower.

At the New York Stock Exchange close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.45%, the S&P 500 increased 0.05%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.64%.


Top and bottom movers on the Dow

Within the Dow, Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) was the strongest performer, finishing up 5.84% - a 2.56 point gain that put the share price at $46.38 at the close. Business software provider Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) climbed 4.29% or 6.73 points to end at $163.66, while International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) advanced 3.65% or 7.54 points to close at $214.19.

On the downside for the Dow, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) fell 4.30% or 14.67 points to finish at $326.17. Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON) declined 1.26% or 3.10 points to end at $243.17, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) slipped 1.26% or 13.49 points to close at $1,061.23.


S&P 500 notable movers

The S&P 500 saw sizable winners in several names. International Paper (NYSE:IP) rose 11.21% to $42.16. Energy services firm Slb NV (NYSE:SLB) gained 11.01% to settle at $52.42. Digital Realty Trust Inc (NYSE:DLR) also increased 11.01%, closing at $199.08.

Among the S&P 500's largest decliners were CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:CHRW), down 9.25% to $186.50, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), which fell 7.91% to $92.30, and West Pharmaceutical Services Inc (NYSE:WST), off 7.67% to $328.20.


Nasdaq extremes and single-stock volatility

The Nasdaq Composite's session was marked by extreme percentage moves in smaller-cap and micro-cap names. Trinity Biotech plc (NASDAQ:TRIB) reported a large percentage increase of 2,724.41% to close at $8.44. STAK Inc (NASDAQ:STAK) jumped 602.27% to $9.27, and Wearable Devices Ltd (NASDAQ:WLDS) rose 58.30% to $3.53.

Conversely, several Nasdaq-listed issuers recorded steep declines. China SXT Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SXTC) fell 80.82% to $0.06, C3is Inc (NASDAQ:CISS) dropped 45.94% to $0.52, and Vestand Inc (NASDAQ:VSTD) declined 45.22% to $0.10.

The report also noted that shares in Trinity Biotech plc rose to all time lows; up 2,724.41% or $8.15 to $8.44. Shares in China SXT Pharmaceuticals Inc fell to all time lows; losing 80.82% or $0.27 to $0.06. Shares in STAK Inc rose to all time highs; up 602.27% or $7.95 to $9.27. Shares in C3is Inc fell to all time lows; falling 45.94% or $0.44 to $0.52. Shares in Vestand Inc fell to all time lows; down 45.22% or $0.08 to $0.10.


Market breadth and volatility gauge

On the New York Stock Exchange, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,571 to 1,125, with 110 stocks unchanged. On the Nasdaq, 1,931 stocks fell while 1,457 advanced and 175 were unchanged. The CBOE Volatility Index, which tracks implied volatility for S&P 500 options, decreased 0.70% to 18.57.


Commodities and currencies

In commodities trading, August Gold Futures were up 0.12% or $4.77 to $4,054.97 a troy ounce. September crude oil futures fell 1.84% or $1.70 to $90.49 a barrel, while the September Brent contract declined 2.44% or $2.46 to $98.23 a barrel.

In foreign exchange, EUR/USD was effectively unchanged, moving 0.07% to 1.14, while USD/JPY rose 0.01% to 163.87. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 101.33.


This mixed finish leaves headline indices with divergent weekly trends and highlights pronounced single-stock moves on smaller-cap listings, while traditional safe-haven and energy contracts showed modest intraday shifts.

Risks

  • Sharp single-stock swings in micro-cap Nasdaq listings increase market idiosyncratic risk for small-cap investors.
  • Declines in major technology and energy names could weigh on broader tech-heavy indices and sector-specific portfolios.
  • Mixed breadth across exchanges suggests uneven market leadership, raising uncertainty for sector rotation strategies.

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