S&P 500 closed Friday' 3/27 at 6369, down 1.7% # Consumer Sentiment lousier, mortgage rates at a 7-month high, [View all]
Last edited Sat Mar 28, 2026, 10:50 PM - Edit history (264)
& US import prices post largest gain in four years as energy costs soar
I will be doing these only twice a week: Tuesday and Friday, unless it's really interesting.
Unfortunately, they will be much trimmed versions until at least late March (tax season). They won't include the "SCROLLING DOWN THE PAGE" sections. I will still maintain the Reports and Calendar section and the "Stock Market Today" Yahoo Finance narratives.
10Y Treasury, in chronological order: It local-bottomed out at 3.95% Oct 22, 2025, its lowest point since April 2025. . 4.19% on Dec 2, 2025, , 4.27% on Feb 3, 2026, , 4.06% on March 3, , 4.12% on March 5, , 4.28% on March 13, and 4.44% on Friday March 27
https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/US10Y (best) -or- https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5ETNX/
10 Year Treasury price: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ZN%3DF/
Bitcoin, In chronological order: It was $95,401 Jan 16, , $84,009 on Jan 30, , $75,512 on Feb 3, , $65,564 on Feb 27, , $71,357 on March 13 , , $74,580 March 17 $65,795 @ 440p ET ##### It's in bear market territory, down more than 20% from it's $126,000+ all-time high in October (20% down from $126,000 is $100,800) ACTUALLY, it's down 48% from $126,000 (Cryptocurrencies trade 24/7)
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BTC-USD/
Next Fed rate decision: April 29 (last was March 18)
CME FedWatch tool (probabilities of various Fed interest rate moves) 3/24: 9% chance of a rate HIKE) and ZERO % chance of a rate cut
. . . https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html
The S&P 500 closed Friday' March 27 at 6369, down 1.7% for the day,
and up 10.1% from the 5783 election day closing level,
and up 6.2% from the inauguration eve closing level,
and up 8.3% since the December 31, 2024 close
and down 7.0% Year-To-Date (since the December 31, 2025 close)
and down 8.7% since its all-time closing high (6979)
The Dow closed Thursday at 45,960, and it closed Friday' at 45,167, a drop of 1.7% (793 points) for the day
ALL TIME HIGHS
The S&P 500's all-time closing high was 6978.6 on January 27
The DOW's all-time closing high was 50,188 reached on February 10
The NASDAQ's all-time closing high was 23,857 reached on January 28
Market news of the day: https://finance.yahoo.com/
How to find the latest Yahoo Finance "stock market today" report if it's not at the finance.yahoo page (note that the headline displayed there does not include the "Stock Market Today" words, but the article itself does): click on
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22stock+market+today%22+site%3Afinance.yahoo.com&oq=%22stock+market+today%22+site%3Afinance.yahoo.com
If the link doesn't work for you,
Google: "stock market today" site:finance.yahoo.com
First I will cover Wednesday and Thursday, then on to Friday 3/27
Wednesday March 25
S&P 500: +0.54%, , DOW: +0.66% (305 points), , NASDAQ: +0.77%, ,
10-YR TREASURY: 4.33% -0.06 , , Bitcoin: $70,987 @ 615p ET , WTI OIL: $91.29 +1.07%
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rise on hopes of US-Iran talks, oil drops below $100, Yahoo Finance, 3/25/26
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-rise-on-hopes-of-us-iran-talks-oil-drops-below-100-200158241.html
I'm not going to bother with the excerpt today (taxes fortnight)
--- SCROLLING DOWN THE ABOVE YAHOO FINANCE PAGE, Wednesday March 25 -----
I won't be doing this section until my taxes are done, sorry. I think it's a very valuable addition to this page, but it also takes a lot of time to put together. I urge people to scroll down the page for the short valuable summaries of numerous articles.
--- OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST, WEDNESDAY, March 25 -----
US import prices post largest gain in four years as energy costs soar
(Jan: +0.6%, Feb: +1.3%, there's a month-by-month bar graph, only a 1.3% YOY increase. "import prices, which exclude tariffs" ), Reuters, 3/25/26
U.S. import prices increased by the most in nearly four years in February as energy costs surged in anticipation of conflict in the Middle East, adding to signs that inflation is poised to accelerate in the months ahead.
Import prices jumped 1.3% last month, the largest increase since March 2022, after an upwardly revised 0.6% gain in January, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast import prices, which exclude tariffs, increasing 0.5% after a previously reported 0.2% rise in January.
In the 12 months through February, import prices advanced 1.3%. That was the largest year-on-year increase since February 2025, and followed a 0.3% increase in January.
THURSDAY MARCH 26
S&P 500: -1.74%, , DOW: -1.01% (-469 points), , NASDAQ: -2.38%, ,
10-YR TREASURY: 4.42% +0.09 , , Bitcoin: $69,002 @ 523p ET , WTI OIL: $93.75 +3.80%
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 sink, Nasdaq enters correction territory as oil spikes amid Iran war, Yahoo Finance, 3/26/26
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-sink-nasdaq-enters-correction-territory-as-oil-spikes-amid-iran-war-204857276.html
--- SCROLLING DOWN THE ABOVE YAHOO FINANCE PAGE, THURSDAY, March 26 -----
Not doing this time.
--- OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST, THURSDAY, March 26 -----
Mortgage rates surge to 7 month high
https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/mortgages/article/mortgage-rates-surge-to-7-month-high-as-buyer-confidence-shaken-mortgage-and-refinance-interest-rates-today-100000556.html
US mortgage rates higher for fourth straight week == https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/war-iran-drives-us-mortgage-160032025.html
Unemployment insurance claims - +5,000 to 210,000. ## [Continuing claims:] The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured
unemployment during the week ending March 14 was 1,819,000, a decrease of 32,000 from the previous week's revised
level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since May 25, 2024 when it was 1,804,000. The previous week's level was revised down by 6,000 from 1,857,000 to 1,851,000.
https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf
The Mag 7 stocks are stuck in a rut, 3/26/26
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/magnificent-7-stocks-are-seeing-a-shocking-run-chart-173113172.html
b] FRIDAY MARCH 27
S&P 500: -1.67%, , DOW: -1.73% (-793 points), , NASDAQ: -2.15%, ,
10Y TREASURY: 4.44% +0.02 , , Bitcoin: $65,795 @ 440p ET , WTI OIL: $100.65 +6.53%
Stock market today: S&P 500 clinches longest losing streak since 2022 as oil surges, 'Magnificent 7' stocks shed $300 billion, Yahoo Finance, 3/27/26
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-sp-500-clinches-longest-losing-streak-since-2022-as-oil-surges-magnificent-7-stocks-shed-300-billion-200142689.html
Not doing excerpt today - I'm way behind on my taxes
--- SCROLLING DOWN THE ABOVE YAHOO FINANCE PAGE, FRIDAY, March 27 -----
Not doing this time.
--- OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST, FRIDAY, March 27 -----
Consumer Sentiment: Consumer sentiment hits lowest level since December, Yahoo Finance, 3/27/26 https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143639684
The Index of Consumer Sentiment showed sentiment ended March with a final reading of 53.3, ... the lowest reading in three months. Overall, consumer sentiment fell 5.8% from February and 6.5% from a year ago.
Interviews for this release were collected between February 17 and March 23, with about two-thirds completed after the start of the US military conflict in Iran.
10 Year Consumer Sentiment: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsr.pdf
50 years: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsh.pdf
UPDATE: I'm not going to bother updating the reports/calendar section today because of my tax situation. But I made a quickie "REPORTS MARCH 23-27" section just below to gather together the stories I do have for now
I do consider the Reports/Calendar section the main benefit of this thread -- they go all the way back to December, so I will have that all fixed eventually, and is the only place on DU or anywhere that I know of where one can find recent reports from a variety of sources..
REPORTS MARCH 23-27
TUESDAY MARCH 24
US business activity slips to 11-month low in March amid Iran war, S&P Global survey shows, 3/24/26 (flash PMI)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143637971
S&P Global said its flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the manufacturing and services sectors, fell to 51.4 this month. That was the lowest level since last April and followed a 51.9 reading in February.
ADP Pulse - For the four weeks ending March 7, 2026, U.S. private employers added an average of 10,000 jobs per week, according to the NER Pulse, a weekly update of the monthly ADP National Employment Report (NER).
https://mediacenter.adp.com/2026-03-24-ADP-National-Employment-Report-Preliminary-Estimate-for-March-7,-2026
Multiplying by 365 / (12*7) to "monthesize it" to the average month: 43,452
The ultimate source: https://www.adpresearch.com/
and look for "NER Pulse"
WEDNESDAY MARCH 25
US import prices post largest gain in four years as energy costs soar
(Jan: +0.6%, Feb: +1.3%, there's a month-by-month bar graph, only a 1.3% YOY increase. "import prices, which exclude tariffs" ), Reuters, 3/25/26
U.S. import prices increased by the most in nearly four years in February as energy costs surged in anticipation of conflict in the Middle East, adding to signs that inflation is poised to accelerate in the months ahead.
Import prices jumped 1.3% last month, the largest increase since March 2022, after an upwardly revised 0.6% gain in January, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast import prices, which exclude tariffs, increasing 0.5% after a previously reported 0.2% rise in January.
In the 12 months through February, import prices advanced 1.3%. That was the largest year-on-year increase since February 2025, and followed a 0.3% increase in January.
THURSDAY MARCH 26
Mortgage rates surge to 7 month high
https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/mortgages/article/mortgage-rates-surge-to-7-month-high-as-buyer-confidence-shaken-mortgage-and-refinance-interest-rates-today-100000556.html
US mortgage rates higher for fourth straight week == https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/war-iran-drives-us-mortgage-160032025.html
Unemployment insurance claims - +5,000 to 210,000. ## [Continuing claims:] The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured
unemployment during the week ending March 14 was 1,819,000, a decrease of 32,000 from the previous week's revised
level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since May 25, 2024 when it was 1,804,000. The previous week's level was revised down by 6,000 from 1,857,000 to 1,851,000.
https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf
FRIDAY MARCH 27
Consumer Sentiment: Consumer sentiment hits lowest level since December, Yahoo Finance, 3/27/26
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143639684
The Index of Consumer Sentiment showed sentiment ended March with a final reading of 53.3, ... the lowest reading in three months. Overall, consumer sentiment fell 5.8% from February and 6.5% from a year ago.
Interviews for this release were collected between February 17 and March 23, with about two-thirds completed after the start of the US military conflict in Iran.
10 Year Consumer Sentiment: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsr.pdf
50 years: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/chicsh.pdf
Everything below this point is just as it was in Friday 3/20's update
Well, the graphs at the very bottom of the post should self-update soon.
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REPORTS AND CALENDAR
Recent and Coming Up, Reports
https://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendar
See Reply #1 to this thread for last week's reports and older reports.
The government reports are all seasonally adjusted, as are most, if not all, of the non-government reports the media covers, so please don't post comments about how the numbers look good (or not as bad as expected) only because of Christmas season hires or Christmas shopping. Or that it's warming up and people are beginning spring shopping already -- seasonal factors like that have been adjusted for
THIS WEEK'S REPORTS/CALENDAR (Mar 16-20) FOLLOWED BY NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR (Mar 23-27)
LAST WEEK'S REPORTS (MAR 09-13)
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These are all in Reply #1 in reverse chronological order. In a break from past practice, I am no longer putting last week's reports in this OP.
THIS WEEK'S REPORTS (MAR 16-20)
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https://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendar
MONDAY MARCH 16 (REPORTS)
# Empire State manufacturing survey March
In February, it was 7.1. In March: -0.2 (+4.1% was expected, per MarketWatch calendar)
# Industrial production, February
In January, it was +0.7%. In February, it was +0.2%
US manufacturing output rises marginally in February, Reuters, 3/16/26
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-manufacturing-output-rises-marginally-in-february/ar-AA1YJDvt
TUESDAY MARCH 17 (REPORTS)
# Pending home sales February
In January, it was -0.8%. In February, it was +1.8%
Sounds good, thanks to lower mortgage rates. But remember the attack on Iran was February 28, and mortgage rates started rising after that. The mortgage rate was 5.98% on February 12, and it's 6.11% on March 12, the latest.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US
https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-pending-home-sales-report-shows-1-8-increase-in-february
0.8% decrease year over year
# Home builder confidence index, March
WEDNESDAY MARCH 18 (REPORTS)
Producer price index February (It was hot 0.5% month-over-month growth in January)
# LBN Thread: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143634448
# BLS SOURCE: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm
# PPI http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/WPSFD4
# PPI ex food, energy, and trade services http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/WPSFD49116
# PPI ex food & energy http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/WPSFD49104
# Note that the BLS never uses the term "core" anywhere in the news release ppi.nr0.htm
# See also Table 1 in ppi.nr0.htm: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.t01.htm
Trade Services month-over-month percentage increases in the last 5 months were:
. . . -0.9% -0.5% +1.9% +2.2% +0.4%.
12 months: +5.2%
I annualize everything for comparisons to each other and to the 2% Federal Reserve inflation goal
One month increase (month-over-month) (annualized)
. REGULAR CORE MONTH
PPI 8.5% 6.5% FEB (PPI = wholesale prices)
CPI 3.2% 2.6% FEB
PCE 3.3% 4.4% JAN
GOAL 2.0% 2.0%
Average increase over last 3 months (annualized):
. REGULAR CORE MONTH
PPI 6.6% 4.5% FEB (PPI = wholesale prices)
CPI 3.0% 3.0% FEB
PCE 3.5% 3.7% JAN
GOAL 2.0% 2.0%
The above really puts in perspective how hot Wednesday's PPI report is (March 18). They are all bad, but the PPI is at a special level of bad.
The PPI Core is the regular PPI but without food, energy, and trade services
All 3 inflation sets of graphs (PPI, PCE, CPI) are at the top of my journal, one right after the other
both regular and core measures
https://www.democraticunderground.com/~progree
-For permanence, the graphs' links -
PPI (Feb): https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3634503
PCE (Jan.): https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3631734
CPI (Feb.): https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3630564
The links to the data are in those posts
They show that inflation is RISING. It is not "easing", nor is it just "sticky".
NOTE: the PCE graphs (and the table line for it) are for JANUARY, which is the latest PCE report to date.
The CPI and PPI (wholesale prices) are for February
All of this of course is before the US/Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.
--END PPI Report--------------------------------
Factory orders January
I thought I had a link. Anyway, it's for January, so I won't bother to hunt one down (taxes fortnight)
2:00 pm FOMC interest-rate decision, 2:30 pm Fed Chair Powell press conference
FOMC stands pat. https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143634591 ## Fed Chair Powell's top takeaways https://finance.yahoo.com/video/fed-chair-powells-top-takeaways-205343938.html
THURSDAY MARCH 19 (REPORTS)
8:30 am Initial jobless claims March 14
# US applications for jobless benefits fall to 205,000 last week as layoffs remain historically low, AP, 3/19/26
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-applications-for-jobless-benefits-fall-to-205-000-last-week-as-layoffs-remain-historically-low/ar-AA1YYR7a?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=69bc004a68e647cf87e1322dd11785b5&ei=28
8:30 am Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey March -- Previous report: 16.3
I'd dig up a link, but it's taxes fortnight
10:00 am Wholesale inventories January -- Previous report: 0.2%
I'd dig up a link, but it's taxes fortnight
10:00 am New home sales January (note the JANUARY)
US new home sales drop to near 3-1/2-year low in January, Reuters, 3/19/26
https://archive.ph/w2aEJ
New home sales tumbled 17.6% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 587,000 units, the lowest level since October 2022, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Thursday.
Data for December was revised lower to show sales falling to a pace of 712,000 units instead of the previously reported 745,000 unit rate. Economists had expected home sales to fall to a rate of 720,000 units in January. Sales dropped in all four regions.
New home sales account for a small share of U.S. home sales and tend to be volatile on a month-to-month basis.
FRIDAY MARCH 20 (CALENDAR)
None Scheduled
NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR (MAR 23-27)
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Just scraping the calendar for now, scraped 3/17/26
https://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendar
The numbers shown after each entry, if any, is the previous report's number
MONDAY MARCH 23 (CALENDAR)
10:00 am Construction spending (delayed report) Jan. 0.3%
TUESDAY MARCH 24 (CALENDAR)
8:30 am U.S. productivity (revision) Q4 2.8%
9:45 am S&P flash U.S. services PMI March 51.7
9:45 am S&P flash U.S. manufacturing PMI March 51.6
WEDNESDAY MARCH 25 (CALENDAR)
8:30 am Import price index Feb. 0.2%
8:30 am Import price index minus fuel Feb. 0.5%
THURSDAY MARCH 26 (CALENDAR)
8:30 am Initial jobless claims March 21 205,000
FRIDAY MARCH 27 (CALENDAR)
10:00 am Consumer sentiment (final) March 55.5
The full calendar: https://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendar
Revised release dates for Bureau of Labor Statistics reports: https://www.bls.gov/bls/2025-lapse-revised-release-dates.htm
BEA.GOV news release schedule (they produce reports on the GDP, Retail Sales, PCE Inflation (the Fed's favorite inflation gauge), and Personal Consumption and Income: https://www.bea.gov/news/schedule
ADP NER Pulse (private payrolls weekly update): Is every Tuesday. The ultimate source: https://www.adpresearch.com/
and look for "NER Pulse"
Archives of previous reports
The monthly payroll employment reports from the BLS are archived at Archived News Releases (https://www.bls.gov/bls/news-release/ ). In the list up at the top, under Major Economic Indicators, select Employment Situation ( https://www.bls.gov/bls/news-release/empsit.htm ) . That opens up links to reports going back to 1994. (Includes CPI, ECI, many others)
Unemployment insurance claims archives: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims.asp . If that doesn't work, start with https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp and click on "Weekly Claims Data" near the very bottom.
BEA's Data Archive https://www.bea.gov/news/archive
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Erika McEntarfer (fired former BLS Commissioner) "Person who was fired here - you should still trust BLS data." - The agency is being run by the same dedicated career staff who were running it while I was awaiting confirmation from the Senate. And the staff have made it clear that they are blowing a loud whistle if there is interference." https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3614986
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The S&P 500 closed Friday March 20 at 6506, down 1.5% for the day,
and up 12.5% from the 5783 election day closing level,
and up 8.5% from the inauguration eve closing level,
and up 10.6% since the December 31, 2024 close
and down 5.0% Year-To-Date (since the December 31, 2025 close)
and down 6.8% from its all-time high
and down 3.1% from Tuesday 3/17
# Election day close (11/5/24) 5783
# Last close before inauguration day: (1/17/25): 5997
# 2024 year-end close (12/31/24): 5882
# Trump II era low point (going all the way back to election day Nov5): 4983 on April 8
# 2025 year-end close (12/31/25): 6845
# October 28 all-time-high: 6890.90, surpassed by December 24's all-time high of 6932.00
# Several market indexes: https://finance.yahoo.com/
# S&P 500: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EGSPC/
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EGSPC/history/
# S&P 500 futures: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ES%3DF/
Bitcoin
Bitcoin ended 2024 at $93,429. https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BTC-USD/
Bitcoin's all-time interday high: 126,198 on Oct. 6
Bitcoin's all-time closing high: 124,753 on Oct 6. (that's what Yahoo Finance shows, but cryptocurrencies trade 24/7)
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BTC-USD/history/
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I'm not a fan of the DOW as it is a cherry-picked collection of just 30 stocks that are price-weighted, which is silly. It's as asinine as judging consumer price inflation by picking 30 blue chip consumer items, and weighting them according to their prices. But since there is an automatically updating embedded graphic, here it is. It takes several, like 6 hours, after the close for it to update, like about 10 PM EDT.
(If it still isn't updated, try right-clicking on it and opening in a new tab. #OR# click on https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EDJI/ ).
The Dow closed Thursday at 46,021, and it closed Friday at 45,577, a drop of 1.0% (444 points) for the day
https://finance.yahoo.com/
DOW: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EDJI/
. . . . . . https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EDJI/history/
DOW
# Election day close (11/5/24) 42,222
# Last close before inauguration day: (1/17/25): 43,488
# 2024 year-end close (12/31/24): 42,544
# 2025 year-end close (12/31/25): 48,063
DJIA means Dow Jones Industrials Average. It takes about 6 hours after the close to update, so check it after 10 PM EDT. Sometimes it takes a couple days (sigh)
I don't have an embeddable graph for the S&P 500, unfortunately, but to see its graph, click on https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EGSPC/
While I'm at it, I might as well show Oil and the Dollar:
Crude Oil
US Dollar Index (DX-Y.NYB)
If you see a tiny graphics square above and no graph, right click on the square and choose "load image". There should be a total of 3 graphs. And remember that it typically takes about 6 hours after the close before these graphs update.
🚨 ❤️ 😬! 😱 < - - emoticon library for future uses
= new reply since forum marked as read