London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 21, 2026

US stocks sink deeper as markets tumble worldwide

US stocks sink deeper as markets tumble worldwide

Investors are increasingly worried about inflation, a war in Ukraine and China’s COVID-19 lockdowns.

Stocks tumbled to a 13-month low in a widespread selloff amid concern about the Federal Reserve’s ability to tame inflationary spirals without throwing the economy into a recession.

The slide in the S&P 500 topped 3%, while the Treasury curve steepened, with the gap between five- and 30-year rates hitting the widest since March. Investors are increasingly worried about the limits to Fed policy at a time when supply-chain disruptions pose a significant threat to inflation amid a ravaging war in Ukraine and China’s Covid lockdowns. Data Monday showed U.S. consumers project prices in three years to be higher compared with a month ago — a troubling sign for officials trying to keep longer-term expectations anchored.

Pandemic-era stars bore the brunt of the selling, with Cathie Wood’s flagship exchange-traded fund sinking about 10% and an ETF tracking newly public companies down the most since the onset of the pandemic. Bitcoin slipped below $32,000, falling more than 50% from its all-time high. The rout also spread to energy producers, easily the market’s strongest sector in 2022. The group plunged over 8% as crude slid. Big tech was not spared, with the likes of Tesla Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Nvidia Corp. off by at least 5%. The Cboe Volatility Index spiked to its highest in two months.

Traders will be closely watching a host of central bank speakers this week after Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday played down the option of 75 basis-point rate hike. Fed Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic told Bloomberg Television he favors policy makers continuing to raise rates by half-point increments rather than doing anything larger. In a later interview with Reuters broadcast on Twitter, Bostic added that while he saw low odds for a 75-basis-point hike in the next several months, he’s “not taking anything off the table.”

The April consumer-price index report on Wednesday is the highlight of an otherwise quiet week for economic releases. Inflation is projected to have moderated on both a monthly and annual basis, partly reflecting a dip in gasoline prices that have since picked back up. While inflation likely peaked in March at 8.5%, the hottest in four decades, price pressures are expected to remain elevated, keeping Fed officials on track to steadily lift borrowing costs in the months ahead.

High inflation readings, a slowing economy and aggressive tightening by the Fed to rein in soaring prices have weighed on risk appetite and valuations. Even if an outright recession is avoided, the outlook for U.S. stocks isn’t particularly bright, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists.

“Swings will remain large until the path of inflation is clarified,” strategists led by David Kostin wrote in a note to clients, adding that “tightening financial conditions and poor market liquidity make it difficult to argue for a short-term rally similar in size to the one in late March.”

Here are key events to watch this week:


*  Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic, New York Fed President John Williams, Fed Governor Christopher Waller speak, Tuesday

*  Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic speaks, Wednesday

*  U.S. CPI, WednesdayEIA crude oil inventory report, Wednesday

*  San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly speaks, Thursday

*  U.S. PPI, initial jobless claims, Thursday

*  University of Michigan consumer sentiment, Friday

Some of the main moves in markets:


Stocks

*  The S&P 500 fell 3.2% as of 4 p.m. New York time

*  The Nasdaq 100 fell 4%

*  The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2%

*  The MSCI World index fell 3.1%

Currencies

*  The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 0.3%

*  The euro was little changed at $1.0559

*  The British pound fell 0.1% to $1.2333

*  The Japanese yen rose 0.3% to 130.22 per dollar

Bonds

*  The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined 10 basis points to 3.03%

*  Germany’s 10-year yield declined four basis points to 1.09%

*  Britain’s 10-year yield declined four basis points to 1.96%

Commodities

*  West Texas Intermediate crude fell 6.8% to $102.28 a barrel

*  Gold futures fell 1.6% to $1,852.70 an ounce

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Tightens Procurement Rules to Prioritise National Security and Supply Chain Resilience
National Drought Group Reviews Water Supply Risks After Dry Spring and Ongoing Heatwave
Andy Burnham Faces Leadership Speculation After Weak Local Election Results for Labour
Charity Commission Appoints Interim Managers to Barnabas Aid Amid Financial Investigation
Government Awards £27 Million Leonardo UK Contract to Maintain Military Aircraft Fleet
Environment Agency Suspends Chichester Waste Site Permit Over Fire and Pollution Risks
Border Force Seizes Record Cannabis Shipment in Major UK Criminal Network Disruption
Lloyds Banking Group to Hire 300 Artificial Intelligence Specialists in Digital Expansion Push
UK Government Introduces Alcohol Monitoring Tags for 7,000 Offenders Ahead of Summer Sporting Season
Resident Doctors in England Prepare Vote on Government Pay and Working Conditions Offer
Police Scotland Investigates Suspected Anti-Muslim Attacks in Edinburgh Following Arrest
Met Office Issues Rare Amber Extreme Heat Warning Across Southern and Eastern England
UK Government Unveils Digital Homebuying Reforms to Cut Costs and Speed Up Property Transactions
Train Driver Dies and 89 Injured in Rail Collision Near Bedford as Safety Investigation Begins
Long-Term Economic and Political Effects of Brexit Continue to Shape UK Policymaking
Digital Disinformation Emerges as a Growing National Security Challenge in the United Kingdom
Britain's Dependence on Global Energy Routes Drives Push for More Resilient Supply Chains
Rising Energy Costs Continue to Threaten Britain's Cost-of-Living Recovery
Concerns Grow Over Far-Right Organizing and AI-Driven Online Radicalization in Britain
UK-Led Global Partnerships Conference Calls for Reform of International Development Finance
Middle East Tensions Continue to Weigh on UK Business Confidence
Reports of Middle East Peace Deal Ease Pressure on UK Energy Prices
UK Warns Middle East Conflict Could Worsen Global Food Insecurity
UK Economy Loses Momentum After Strong Start to 2026
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Easing Inflation
Brexit's Legacy Remains Deeply Divisive Ten Years After the UK Voted to Leave the European Union
International Anti-War Conference Opens in London as Debate Over European Rearmament Intensifies
UK Health Authorities Introduce Drug Price Concessions Amid Record NHS Medicine Shortages
Sir David Attenborough Supports Sherwood Forest Conservation Efforts After Loss of Major Oak
Aardman Animations Marks 50 Years With Major Exhibition in Bristol
Drax Cleared After Investigation Into Wood Pellet Sourcing Practices
Jaguar Land Rover Shifts Toward Hybrid Vehicle Production for US Export Strategy
UK Police Arrest Liberal Democrat MP Cameron Thomas on Suspicion of Assault
Health Concerns Grow Over Elevated Kidney Cancer Rates Near Lancashire PFAS Factory
Royal Navy F-35 Jets Conduct First NATO Air Warfare Exercise from Finnish Airspace
UK NHS Issues Price Concessions for Medicines Amid Severe Drug Shortages
Heathrow Third Runway Project Faces Sharp Downward Revision in Expected Economic Benefits
Amber Heat Warning Issued Across Parts of England and Wales as Temperatures Rise
Train Collision Near Bedford Disrupts UK Rail Network and Leaves Multiple Injured
Bank of England Data Suggests Brexit Has Reduced UK Economic Output by Around Six Percent
UK Borrowing Costs Hold Near 4.8 Percent as Political Uncertainty Fuels Market Pressure
Andy Burnham Emerges as Front-Runner to Succeed Keir Starmer After Landslide Makerfield Victory
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Mounting Pressure to Resign After Labour By-Election Defeat in Makerfield
Payment Fraud Losses Reach £1.28 Billion and Raise National Security Concerns
Lending to Small Businesses Climbs to Highest Level Since Late 2024
Middle East Conflict Clouds UK Economic Recovery Despite Strong First-Quarter Growth
Bank of England Moves to Simplify Capital Rules for Smaller Lenders
UK Government Fast-Tracks National Security and Cyber Resilience Legislation
Ofcom Investigates Telegram Over Alleged Role in Organising Arson Attacks
MPs Press Fujitsu to Speed Compensation for Post Office Horizon Victims
×