Markets

Market Pulse

Post-Close Edition · Thursday, April 23, 2026

S&P 500 slips 0.39% as tech sells off and money rotates to defense Fear & Greed still reads 66 — Greed — even as utilities surge 2.72% and growth names take the hit.


The Daily Digest

  1. 01S&P 500 down 0.39% as risk appetite fades into the close
  2. 02Nasdaq 100 leads losses at -0.56%, tech sector drops 1.42% — growth names under pressure
  3. 03Crude oil surges 4.11% as energy is the lone bright spot in equities, XLE up 0.78%
  4. 04Utilities jump 2.72% — defensive rotation signals caution beneath the surface
  5. 05Gold pulls back 0.97%, silver drops 2.83% as precious metals give up recent gains
  6. 06Dollar Index firms to 98.67, up 0.24%, capping commodity upside
  7. 07Ethereum falls 3.1% to $2,323 as crypto sells off broadly; Bitcoin slips 0.89% to $77,892
  8. 08Long-end Treasuries drift lower, TLT off 0.22% — no safe-haven bond bid despite equity weakness
  9. 09Fear & Greed Index sits at 66 (Greed) — sentiment still elevated even as markets slip

Top Movers

Gainers

OILCrude Oil+4.11%
XLUUtilities+2.72%
XLEEnergy+0.78%
TBTShort 20Y+0.52%
DXYDollar Index+0.24%

Losers

NATGASNatural Gas-3.93%
ETHEthereum-3.10%
SLVSilver-2.83%
SOLSolana-1.86%
XLKTechnology-1.42%

What If?

If you had put $1,000 into Crude Oil yesterday, you'd have $1,041.10 today.


The Big Picture

Tech dragged the session lower. The Nasdaq 100 fell 0.56% and the broader tech sector dropped 1.42% — growth names took the most heat as risk appetite faded into the close. The S&P 500 finished down 0.39%, a modest decline that masks a more defensive shift underneath. The rotation tells the real story. Utilities surged 2.72% while energy added 0.78% on the back of a 4.11% spike in crude oil. Meanwhile gold slipped 0.97% and silver dropped 2.83% as a firming dollar — the DXY up 0.24% to 98.67 — put pressure on commodities. Ethereum fell 3.1% to $2,323; Bitcoin held better but still lost 0.89% to $77,892. The tension: the Fear & Greed Index still reads 66 — Greed — even as money quietly moves toward utilities and away from growth. That gap between sentiment and positioning is worth watching. 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

66Greed
0255075100

Market Overview

Indices
Dow Jones493.00-0.36%
S&P 500708.45-0.39%
Nasdaq 100651.42-0.56%
Russell 2000275.52-0.35%
Crypto
Bitcoin77,892.00-0.89%
Cardano0.25-1.27%
Ethereum2,323.85-3.10%
XRP1.43-0.53%
Solana85.72-1.86%
Commodities
Gold431.04-0.97%
Natural Gas10.52-3.93%
Silver68.38-2.83%
Crude Oil134.72+4.11%
Bonds & Rates
20Y Treasury86.55%-0.22%
1-3Y Treasury82.48%-0.05%
Short 20Y35.08%+0.52%
Forex
EUR/USD1.17-0.33%
USD/JPY159.48+0.16%
GBP/USD1.35+0.04%
Dollar Index98.67+0.24%
Sectors
Technology155.84-1.42%
Energy56.98+0.78%
Healthcare146.24-0.10%
Utilities46.09+2.72%
Financials51.80-0.79%
Volatility
VIX28.51-0.11%