Markets

Market Pulse

Post-Close Edition · Tuesday, April 21, 2026

S&P 500 falls 0.65% as metals crash drags risk appetite lower Silver down 5.07%, gold off 2.83% — but the Fear & Greed Index still reads Greed at 68.


The Daily Digest

  1. 01S&P 500 down 0.65% as broad selling pressure weighs on equities
  2. 02Russell 2000 leads losses, off 1.02% — small caps absorbing the most pain
  3. 03Silver drops 5.07% in a sharp reversal of the recent metals rally
  4. 04Gold pulls back 2.83% after an extended run higher — profit-taking hits hard
  5. 05Crude oil surges 5.71% as energy bids up sharply on supply concerns
  6. 06Energy sector up 1.45%, the lone bright spot in an otherwise red session
  7. 07Tech holds near flat, down just 0.08% — Nasdaq 100 off only 0.38% as mega-caps cushion the blow
  8. 08Utilities sink 1.75%, worst sector of the day despite their defensive reputation
  9. 09Long-duration Treasuries slip 0.55% as bond buyers stay cautious
  10. 10Bitcoin holds near $75,629, down less than 0.5% — crypto largely ignores equity weakness
  11. 11Dollar Index barely moves at 98.20 as FX sits this session out
  12. 12Fear & Greed Index reads 68 — Greed — a notable disconnect from today's risk-off price action

Top Movers

Gainers

OILCrude Oil+5.71%
XLEEnergy+1.45%
TBTShort 20Y+0.95%
NATGASNatural Gas+0.92%
XLKTechnology+0.08%

Losers

SLVSilver-5.07%
GOLDGold-2.83%
XLUUtilities-1.75%
RUTRussell 2000-1.02%
XLVHealthcare-1.02%

What If?

If you had put $1,000 into Crude Oil yesterday, you'd have $1,057.10 today.


The Big Picture

Metals gave back ground hard today — gold off 2.83%, silver down 5.07% — and that profit-taking rippled into broader risk sentiment. Equities followed, with the S&P 500 dropping 0.65% and small caps taking the worst of it: the Russell 2000 fell 1.02%. When the riskiest corners of the market lead the selloff, it's a clean signal that appetite for risk is cooling. The one exception was energy. Crude surged 5.71% on supply concerns, dragging the energy sector up 1.45% — the only green patch in an otherwise red tape. Tech held near flat, with the Nasdaq 100 off just 0.38%, mega-caps doing their usual shock-absorber job. Utilities, which usually catch a bid when investors get defensive, dropped 1.75% — suggesting this wasn't a rotation to safety, just a broad step back. The disconnect worth watching: the Fear & Greed Index still reads 68 — Greed — while the price action tells a different story. That gap between sentiment and market behavior tends to resolve, and usually not in sentiment's favor. *This is not financial advice. Acid Capitalist is a financial news and commentary site — not a registered financial adviser. Always do your own research.*

Fear & Greed Index

68Greed
0255075100

Market Overview

Indices
Dow Jones491.36-0.60%
S&P 500704.08-0.65%
Nasdaq 100644.33-0.38%
Russell 2000274.51-1.02%
Crypto
Bitcoin75,629.00-0.44%
Cardano0.25-0.65%
Ethereum2,315.54-0.23%
XRP1.42-0.24%
Solana85.30-0.54%
Commodities
Gold429.57-2.83%
Natural Gas10.95+0.92%
Silver68.49-5.07%
Crude Oil128.25+5.71%
Bonds & Rates
20Y Treasury86.57%-0.55%
1-3Y Treasury82.48%-0.15%
Short 20Y35.01%+0.95%
Forex
EUR/USD1.18+0.06%
USD/JPY159.04+0.08%
GBP/USD1.35+0.07%
Dollar Index98.20-0.08%
Sectors
Technology154.69+0.08%
Energy55.87+1.45%
Healthcare145.92-1.02%
Utilities44.95-1.75%
Financials52.30-0.63%
Volatility
VIX28.91+1.83%