U.S. Stocks Fall From Records as Oil Prices Lift Bond Yields

U.S. stocks retreated from record highs on May 15, 2026, as rising oil prices fueled inflation concerns and pushed Treasury yields higher, pressuring risk assets globally. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% to 7,408.50, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.1% to 49,526.17, and the Nasdaq composite slid 1.5% to 26,225.14. Technology shares led the decline, with high-flying artificial intelligence-related stocks among the weakest performers. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 2.4% to 2,793.30, underperforming large-cap benchmarks. For the week, the S&P 500 rose 0.1%, while the Dow slipped 0.2%, the Nasdaq fell 0.1% and the Russell 2000 lost 2.4%. Year to date, the Nasdaq remains up 12.8%, the Russell 2000 has gained 12.5%, the S&P 500 is up 8.2% and the Dow has advanced 3%. The 30-year Treasury yield returned to levels last seen in 2007.