Weekly Market Bullets

for the week ending 5/22/2026

• US Equity Markets posted gains last week as interest rates stabilized and areas beyond technology started to more fully participate. The S&P 500 rose 0.9% for the week to its gains for the year to 9.2%. The S&P 500 Equal Weight was up 2.5% for the week and is now up 7.8% for the year. The Nasdaq increased 0.5% for the week to bring its gains for the year to 13.4%, while the Russell 2000 (small cap stocks) rallied 2.7% for the week and is now up 15.6% for the year.

• Global Equity Markets rose last week as investors assessed diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran to reach a deal in the Middle East. Developed Markets were up 2.0% for the week and are now up 6.8% for the year. Emerging Markets increased 1.1% for the week to bring their gains for the year to 20.1%.

• US Consumer Sentiment data hit new low. The final Michigan Consumer Sentiment index for May came in at 44.8, a sharp decline from April's 49.8 and a marking a new historic low. US consumers are increasingly concerned about their wages keeping pace with inflation as energy prices remain elevated.

• "Sell in May and Go Away"? Despite the often cited adage to "sell in May and go away," which suggests that investors should sell after Memorial Day and buy back equities after Labor Day, equity returns between Memorial Day and Labor Day have been positive about 70% of the time since the early 1970s. Volumes during that window typically are lighter, which may produce increased volatility, but equity returns during that period have historically ranged between 1.6% and 2.8%.

Market Data

for the week ending 5/22/2026