Markets

Market Pulse

Midday Edition · Thursday, June 18, 2026

Nasdaq 100 up 2.27% as tech carries a market the rest of the world is selling Bitcoin drops 5.64% to $62,575 and the dollar surges 1.07% — risk appetite is narrower than the headlines suggest.


The Daily Digest

  1. 01Nasdaq 100 up 2.27% as tech leads a split session
  2. 02Technology sector surges 2.79%, pulling the S&P 500 up 0.74% while most of the market lags
  3. 03Dow Jones flat, up just 0.03% — this rally has a narrow address
  4. 04Russell 2000 up 1.46% suggesting some risk appetite beyond mega-cap tech
  5. 05Long-dated Treasuries gain 0.60% as TLT catches a bid alongside equities
  6. 06Dollar strengthens 1.07% to 100.74 on DXY, pressuring EUR/USD down 1.12% to $1.1461 and GBP/USD down 1.32% to $1.3229
  7. 07Crypto sells off hard — Bitcoin drops 5.64% to $62,575, Solana leads the carnage at -7.41%
  8. 08Crude oil falls 1.65% as energy sector drops 1.85% — oil demand concerns weigh
  9. 09Gold slips 0.29% and silver drops 1.40% as the dollar rally squeezes metals
  10. 10Fear & Greed Index sits at 37 (Fear) — equities are climbing a wall of worry

Top Movers

Gainers

XLKTechnology+2.79%
NDXNasdaq 100+2.27%
XLUUtilities+1.62%
NATGASNatural Gas+1.47%
RUTRussell 2000+1.46%

Losers

SOLSolana-7.41%
ADACardano-6.31%
XRPXRP-6.09%
BTCBitcoin-5.64%
ETHEthereum-5.55%

What If?

If you had put $1,000 into Technology yesterday, you'd have $1,027.90 today.


The Big Picture

Tech is running the show. The Nasdaq 100 is up 2.27% midday, dragging the S&P 500 up 0.74% — but the Dow is essentially flat at +0.03%. This is a one-sector rally. Technology is up 2.79% and doing almost all the heavy lifting. The Russell 2000's 1.46% gain suggests some genuine risk appetite beyond the mega-caps, but the breadth story is still thin. The dollar is the subplot. DXY — the index measuring the dollar against a basket of major currencies — is up 1.07% to 100.74, hammering the euro down 1.12% and sterling down 1.32%. That dollar strength is squeezing metals: gold off 0.29%, silver down 1.40%. Crypto is getting hit harder — Bitcoin drops 5.64% to $62,575, Solana leads the selloff at -7.41%. Oil falls 1.65% on demand concerns, dragging energy stocks down 1.85%. The Fear & Greed Index sits at 37 — firmly in Fear territory. Equities are climbing while sentiment stays cautious and crypto bleeds. That divergence is worth watching. If the dollar keeps pushing, the pressure on risk assets outside of tech isn't going away. 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

37Fear
0255075100

Market Overview

Indices
Dow Jones516.44+0.03%
S&P 500746.41+0.74%
Nasdaq 100738.93+2.27%
Russell 2000294.12+1.46%
Crypto
Bitcoin62,575.00-5.64%
Cardano0.16-6.31%
Ethereum1,686.03-5.55%
XRP1.14-6.09%
Solana68.74-7.41%
Commodities
Gold387.49-0.29%
Natural Gas11.74+1.47%
Silver59.76-1.40%
Crude Oil112.34-1.65%
Bonds & Rates
20Y Treasury86.85%+0.60%
1-3Y Treasury82.03%+0.18%
Short 20Y34.73%-1.00%
Forex
EUR/USD1.15-1.12%
USD/JPY160.93+0.39%
GBP/USD1.32-1.32%
Dollar Index100.74+1.07%
Sectors
Technology190.99+2.79%
Energy53.66-1.85%
Healthcare149.08-1.08%
Utilities45.18+1.62%
Financials53.82-0.43%
Volatility
VIX22.10-2.64%