Weekly Market Pulse: Stop Paying Attention to Headlines

Global Stock Markets Reach Record Highs

Last week, stock exchanges around the globe surged in response to the conclusion of the Iran War, with numerous indices finishing at unprecedented levels. Major benchmarks such as the S&P 500, Russell 1000, Russell 2000, S&P 600, NASDAQ, and various international markets—including those in emerging economies, Asia (excluding Japan), Latin America, Canada, Australia, Israel, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Singapore, Taiwan, and Brazil—achieved new all-time highs, as reflected by their respective ETFs.

The S&P 500 posted gains every day throughout the week, marking increases in 12 of the past 13 trading sessions. In contrast, crude oil prices experienced a sharp decline of over 11% during the week, settling at $85.57 per barrel—a significant drop from $117 just eight trading days earlier. Despite this recent fall, oil remains 27% higher than its price before the conflict began.