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U.S. stocks ended the week of September 28–October 2, 2026, mixed: the Nasdaq gained 0.5%, while the S&P 500, Dow and Russell 2000 declined. Friday brought a broad rally after September payroll growth came in weak, but that one-day rise did not erase the week’s losses in three of the four indexes.
How did the major indexes perform this week?
The Associated Press reported these changes for the full week:
| Index | Weekly change |
|---|---|
| Nasdaq Composite | +0.5% |
| S&P 500 | −0.3% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | −1.3% |
| Russell 2000 | −0.2% |
The figures show why it is important to distinguish Friday’s rally from the weekly result: only the Nasdaq finished the week higher. The technology-heavy Nasdaq and the small-business-heavy Russell 2000 also moved differently from the Dow. The AP’s weekly market wrap provides the index returns.
Why did stocks rise after the jobs report?
MarketBeat framed Friday’s rise as a response to weaker-than-expected September payroll growth, which it said softened market expectations for an October Federal Reserve rate increase. It also cited lower oil prices and a lower 10-year Treasury yield as support for risk appetite. That is MarketBeat’s explanation of the move, not proof that any one release or factor caused the week’s performance. The Fed expectations mentioned here are specific to the market context on October 2, 2026, and can change quickly. MarketBeat’s roundup, syndicated by inkl, describes the Friday session as “bad news being good news.”
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What did the September jobs report show?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 29,000 in September 2026 and unemployment was 4.2%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1% from August and 3.0% over the year. The report also revised July and August payroll changes down by a combined 60,000. Those measures describe different parts of the labor market: payroll growth was modest, unemployment was 4.2%, and wages continued to rise. The BLS employment report is the source for these figures.
What did inflation and consumer spending show?
The latest figures available in the roundup were for August. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that headline personal consumption expenditures (PCE) prices rose 0.3% month over month and 3.4% year over year. Core PCE prices, which exclude food and energy, increased 0.2% month over month and 3.0% over the year. Real PCE—consumer spending adjusted for inflation—rose 0.6% in August. Together, the measures show both continuing price increases and growth in inflation-adjusted spending; they are distinct from the September employment data. The BEA’s August personal income and outlays release has the figures.
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What company stories did MarketBeat highlight?
MarketBeat’s weekly recap is a collection of selected article subjects, not a systematic survey of every important market development. Its company and industry coverage ranged from earnings, technology and corporate actions to consumer businesses and energy:
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- Company results and corporate moves: CarMax’s fiscal second quarter and planned return to share buybacks; Deutsche Bank’s Netflix upgrade alongside a lower price target; Starbucks store closures; and O’Reilly Automotive and First Watch.
- Technology, AI and semiconductors: Apple’s reported $5.7 billion patent verdict; Meta’s Muse AI agent and e-commerce; Broadcom and an Anthropic commitment; the possibility of an Anthropic IPO; Taiwan Semiconductor’s 2-nanometer chips; and cybersecurity firms.
- Infrastructure, industry and investing themes: Oracle’s force-majeure notice concerning a data-center project and CoreWeave; Rocket Lab; defense and semiconductor themes; bond ETFs; fertilizer stocks; geothermal energy; and share buybacks.
- Consumer and leisure: McDonald’s proposed data-driven pricing recommendations for franchisees and Six Flags’ buy-now-pay-later season-pass option, alongside activist pressure.
- Real estate and aerospace: office REITs and Boeing’s fighter contract.
These are topics the roundup selected, not independent verification of each underlying claim or an assessment of the companies’ investment prospects. The syndicated MarketBeat roundup lists the stories.
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