10:26 - 21.08.2026

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21 August, Fineko/abc.az. Expectations that the US Treasury’s plan to lower borrowing costs is only a short-term fix, coupled with rising energy prices, have stoked inflation fears. As a result, the bond rally stalled while stock markets posted losses.

Despite Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaling expanded bond buybacks, the 30-year Treasury yield rose to 5.25%, while the 10-year yield held steady at 4.70%. The S&P 500 slipped 0.9%, and Walmart shares suffered their sharpest drop since 2022 following disappointing sales figures.

Amid ongoing Middle East tensions, oil settled around $88. The Bloomberg Dollar Index fell 0.2%. In the Asia-Pacific region, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.5%, supported by tech stocks, with Samsung Electronics advancing 2.8% ahead of an expected $79 billion shareholder return package announcement.