Markets digest, 16 October 2026: US stocks fall as the VIX rises to 19.99
The S&P 500 closed at 7,659.44 and the Dow at 52,002.41, both lower. The VIX rose to 19.99 and Bitcoin ended Friday at $81,475.05 on Coinbase, while the euro firmed to 1.1253 dollars.
US stocks closed lower on Friday 16 October and the VIX rose. Bitcoin and Ether slipped, and the euro firmed against the dollar.
Stocks
The S&P 500 closed at 7,659.44, down from 7,744.06 on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to 52,002.41 from 52,177.69. FRED had not published a Nasdaq Composite close for Friday at the time of writing; Thursday’s close was 26,713.030.
Crypto
Bitcoin ended Friday at $81,475.05 on Coinbase, down from $82,140.24 on Thursday, and Ether fell to $2,418.33 from $2,439.71. There was no new crypto release from the SEC or the CFTC on Friday. On Monday, a US court ordered EminiFX and its founder to pay restitution and a penalty in a CFTC case over a crypto and forex investment club; read our brief.
Futures and options
The VIX closed at 19.99, up from 16.46 on Thursday. Friday’s Commitments of Traders report from the CFTC, with positions as of Tuesday 13 October, is summarised for gold under Metals below. The CFTC published no new press release or enforcement action on Friday.
Energy and commodities
FRED’s oil and gas prices run to Wednesday 14 October: WTI at $101.91 a barrel, up from $100.86 a day earlier, Brent at $126.55, up from $125.78, and Henry Hub natural gas at $3.22, up from $3.14.
Metals
In Friday’s Commitments of Traders, non-commercial traders held 245,300 long and 37,421 short COMEX gold futures contracts as of 13 October, with open interest of 396,345 contracts. On Monday, the World Gold Council published research putting the digital gold market at US$45–55bn; read our brief.
Forex
The ECB’s euro reference rate against the dollar was 1.1253, up from 1.1208 on Thursday. The euro was quoted at 0.84385 pounds, down from 0.8461, and at 177.82 yen, up from 177.06. US Treasury yields edged lower: the 10-year was 5.09%, down from 5.10%, and the 2-year 4.74%, down from 4.77%, according to FRED. In London, the FCA said it had revoked the bans of four individuals in LIBOR and EURIBOR-related cases after the Court of Appeal overturned their convictions, and will take no further action against them.
- FRED: S&P 500 (SP500)
- FRED: Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQCOM)
- FRED: Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)
- FRED: Coinbase Bitcoin (CBBTCUSD)
- FRED: Coinbase Ethereum (CBETHUSD)
- FRED: CBOE Volatility Index (VIXCLS)
- FRED: WTI crude oil, Cushing (DCOILWTICO)
- FRED: Brent crude oil, Europe (DCOILBRENTEU)
- FRED: Henry Hub natural gas spot price (DHHNGSP)
- FRED: 10-year Treasury yield (DGS10)
- FRED: 2-year Treasury yield (DGS2)
- CFTC Commitments of Traders, COMEX futures only, short format (positions as of 13 October 2026)
- ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (USD, GBP, JPY), 15–16 October 2026
- FCA: LIBOR/EURIBOR-related bans (16 October 2026)
- World Gold Council press release: Unlocking Digital Gold's US$700bn Opportunity (19 October 2026)
Markets: Stocks · Crypto · Futures & Options · Energy & Commodities · Metals · Forex
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