Stock Market Recap for Friday, May 15, 2026

The major U.S. stock indexes ended **broadly lower** on Friday, **May 15, 2026**, as investors took profits across the board after the **Trump-Xi summit in Beijing wrapped up without major policy breakthroughs**, and oil surged back above $109 on renewed Middle East concerns. It was a classic "buy the rumor, sell the news" session that ended an otherwise strong week on a sour note. The **S&P 500** dropped **1.24%** (-92.74 pts) to **7,408.50.** The **Dow** fell **1.07%** (-537.29 pts) to **49,526.17.** The **Nasdaq** slid **1.54%** (-410.08 pts) to **26,225.14.** The **Russell 2000** was the hardest hit, tumbling **2.44%** (-69.79 pts) to **2,793.30.** The **VIX** spiked **7.00%** to **18.47.** **Gold** pulled back sharply, down **3.08%** to **$4,540.90.** **Brent Crude Oil** surged **3.61%** to **$109.54/barrel.**