Weekly Market Recap (September 22–26, 2025)
Stocks slipped as investors faded last week’s “rate-cut rally.” Energy ripped higher on firmer crude, while Communication Services and Healthcare lagged. Tech was mostly flat, with weakness in select AI networking names.
Index Performance (Weekly)
| Index | Weekly Change |
|---|---|
| S&P 500 | −0.75% |
| Nasdaq | −1.34% |
| Dow Jones | −0.29% |
Sector Snapshot (1-Week)
AI Picks Performance
| Stock | Weekly Return | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealth (UNH) | +0.81% | Managed care stabilized; modest rebound vs. sector |
| Newmont (NEM) | +1.83% | Gold bid benefited miners amid risk hedging |
| Arista Networks (ANET) | −1.99% | AI networking cooled after strong YTD run |
The Score — What Defined the Week
- Follow-through fade: After last week’s optimism on future cuts, positioning unwound; mega-cap tech softened.
- Energy leadership: Crude strength and tight supply narrative powered Energy to a near +4% week.
- Defensives mixed: Utilities caught a bid, but Healthcare and Staples drifted lower.
- Rates & credit: Yields were broadly steady; credit tone constructive with issuance continuing.
- Breadth: Losers outnumbered gainers; cyclicals underperformed, led by Comm-Services.
Outlook
- Macro: Watch inflation prints and payrolls for confirmation of the easing path.
- Leadership: Can Energy strength persist if crude consolidates? Look for rotation into value/financials if yields lift.
- Earnings setup: Guidance on tariffs, labor, and AI capex remains in focus into October.
Key Takeaway
A consolidation week: indexes dipped, Energy led decisively, and growth pockets cooled. The next leg hinges on data confirming the Fed’s glide path and early Q3 guidance.
Week ended September 26, 2025. Data you provided; figures rounded.
