Global markets closed August 25, 2026, with a generally constructive tone across the major developed markets. U.S. equities advanced across all major benchmarks, European markets were mostly higher, Asian equities delivered a mixed performance, and Tel Aviv equities recorded broad gains. The session showed a notable contrast between strength in U.S. and European equities and more uneven conditions across Asia as investors continued to assess monetary policy expectations, economic conditions, and regional liquidity.

America: U.S. Equities Extend Gains Across Major Benchmarks

U.S. markets recorded a broadly positive session on August 25, 2026. The Nasdaq gained 0.66% to 26,151.30, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.32% to 7,677.28. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.30% to 53,577.40, and the Russell 2000 rose 0.50% to 3,010.02.

The Nasdaq posted the strongest gain among the three major U.S. benchmarks, while the Russell 2000 also delivered a solid advance, indicating that buying interest extended beyond the largest technology and blue-chip companies. The S&P 500 and Dow also finished higher, reinforcing the broadly positive direction of U.S. equities.

Elsewhere in the Americas, Brazil’s IBOVESPA climbed 1.55% to 174,576.80, while Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite Index advanced 0.66% to 36,957.63. The U.S. Dollar Index increased 0.05% to 98.97. The VIX stood at 15.45, down 2.52%.

Europe: DAX Leads Broad Regional Gains

European markets delivered a mostly positive performance on August 25, 2026. Germany’s DAX gained 0.61% to 26,266.14, marking the strongest advance among the major European equity benchmarks in the supplied data. The FTSE 100 rose 0.29% to 10,886.16, while the EURO STOXX 50 increased 0.12% to 6,455.63.

The MSCI Europe Index advanced 0.39% to 2,917.43, while the Euronext 100 Index gained 0.07% to 1,934.28. France’s CAC 40 was the main exception, declining 0.16% to 8,439.20.

Currency indicators also moved higher. The British Pound Index increased 0.13% to 136.50, while the Euro Index gained 0.08% to 116.72. The overall European session therefore remained constructive despite the decline in France.

Asia: Equities Deliver a Mixed Performance Amid Regional Holiday Closures

Asian markets recorded mixed performance on August 25, 2026. South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index gained 0.68% to 6,742.74, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also advanced 0.68% to 9,164.60. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.50% to 65,856.43, and China’s SSE Composite Index increased 0.19% to 3,889.44.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged lower by 0.02% to 25,511.10, while India’s S&P BSE Sensex declined 0.16% to 77,248.88. Currency markets were mixed, with the Japanese Yen Index falling 0.07% and the Australian Dollar Index declining 0.31%.

Trading conditions across parts of Asia were affected by holiday closures on August 25. The Bahrain Stock Exchange, Jakarta Stock Exchange, Amman Stock Exchange, Beirut Stock Exchange, Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, Oman Stock Exchange, Karachi Stock Exchange, and Ramallah Stock Exchange were closed for observances associated with the Prophet’s Birthday. These closures reduced local trading activity and liquidity in the affected markets.

Tel Aviv: TA-90 Leads Broad Gains Across Domestic Equities

Tel Aviv equities recorded a broadly positive session on August 25, 2026. The TA-35 gained 0.35% to 4,140.90, while the TA-90 advanced 0.71% to 3,685.63. The TA-125 increased 0.41% to 4,031.59, while the TA 90 and Banks index rose 0.67% to 3,935.96.

Market breadth was positive across the leading benchmarks. Within the TA-35, 18 securities advanced, 17 declined, and one remained unchanged. Across the TA-125, 74 securities gained, 49 declined, and three remained unchanged.

Equity market turnover reached approximately NIS 3.37 billion, while bond market turnover totaled approximately NIS 4.04 billion, indicating substantial activity across both markets.

Outlook for August 26, 2026: Monetary Policy and Asian Liquidity in Focus

Global investors enter August 26, 2026, with attention focused on monetary policy expectations, inflation developments, economic indicators, corporate earnings, and geopolitical risks. New economic information will remain important for assessing the potential direction of interest rates and its implications for global equities, bonds, and currencies.

Investors will also monitor corporate developments and earnings guidance for indications about business conditions, profit expectations, capital spending, and future growth. Changes in inflation expectations or central-bank signals could influence bond yields, currency valuations, and equity-market positioning.

Regional liquidity will remain an important consideration across Asia on August 26. The Karachi Stock Exchange in Pakistan will be closed for Eid-Milad-un-Nabi, while the Colombo Stock Exchange in Sri Lanka will be closed for Mawlid-al-Nabi. The closures are expected to reduce local trading activity and liquidity in the affected markets and may influence regional cross-border flows.

Currency movements will remain another important factor for international investors as markets assess interest-rate expectations and capital flows. Geopolitical developments could also affect risk appetite, particularly if unexpected developments create uncertainty around economic growth, trade, or financial conditions.

Volatility will remain sensitive to surprises in economic data, central-bank communication, corporate developments, and geopolitical events. Investors are likely to monitor whether current risk appetite can remain supported while assessing incoming information for signs of changes in the global economic and monetary-policy outlook.

Overall, August 26, 2026, is expected to remain focused on monetary policy signals, inflation trends, economic data, corporate developments, geopolitical risks, currency movements, and regional liquidity. Market participants will also account for the reduced activity associated with the Pakistan and Sri Lanka exchange closures as they assess positioning across global markets.