US stock markets opened higher on Thursday as falling oil prices eased inflationary pressures, while investors weighed a surge in benchmark Treasury yields to 24-year highs and monitored looming earnings reports, according to market reports from Yonhap Infomax and KBS News.
The Bottom Line
- Bond Yields Hit Multi-Decade Highs: The 10-year US Treasury yield touched 5.36% during the week, marking its highest level in 24 years, driven by bond market inflation expectations and heavy supply absorption.
Oil Price Stabilization Offsets Bond Market Turmoil
When markets opened, the three major US stock indexes posted gains, supported by retreating energy costs. Yonhap Infomax reported that the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 127.19 points, or 0.25%, to 51,358.83 at 9:45 a.m. Eastern time. The S&P 500 gained 18.32 points, or 0.24%, to 7,783.68, and the Nasdaq Composite added 86.73 points, or 0.32%, to reach 27,280.07.
The relief in the equity pits stemmed directly from the energy sector. November 2026 delivery WTI crude traded down 0.56% at 90.98 dollars a barrel. The downward movement followed statements from Donald Trump on Truth Social indicating that productive discussions were underway with Iran and confirming that the US would avoid military action against Iran ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, easing concerns over potential disruptions to maritime shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Yet this equity optimism operated against a backdrop of severe friction in fixed-income markets. Reporting from KBS News detailed that the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield surged to 5.36% during the week, marking a 24-year high, while the 30-year bond yield reached 5.73%. Bond investors demanded higher risk premiums amid persistent inflation pressures, even as recent employment data showed wage growth cooling to a five-year low.
Bond Fund Inflows and Federal Reserve Rate Path Expectations
Despite the historic spike in yields, demand for fixed-income assets showed signs of stabilization. According to data covered by Investing.com, US bond funds registered a weekly record of 19.78 billion dollars in net inflows as institutional investors locked in multi-decade high yields. The benchmark 10-year yield subsequently pulled back to 5.231% following successful Treasury auctions.
CME FedWatch data indicated that market participants priced an 82% probability that the Federal Reserve would pause interest rate hikes at its October meeting. However, minutes from the September Federal Open Market Committee meeting and remarks from Fed officials suggested that additional tightening remains possible, with fed funds futures maintaining an 81% probability of a 25-basis-point increase at the December meeting.
Corporate Movers: Telecom Plunge and Health Insurer Rally
Individual equity valuations saw sharp divergences driven by corporate developments and regulatory updates. US telecom operators suffered steep losses after SpaceX acquired a mobile spectrum portfolio across the United States, positioning Starlink to challenge traditional carriers. T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) shares fell 9.29%, while AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) dropped 7.09% and 6.14%, respectively.
Conversely, Humana (NYSE: HUM) surged 14.43%. Government data showed that 95% of the health insurer’s enrollees were signed up for Medicare Advantage plans rated four stars or higher for the 2027 plan year.
| Market Index / Asset | Value / Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 51,358.83 | +0.25% |
| S&P 500 Index | 7,783.68 | +0.24% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 27,280.07 | +0.32% |
| WTI Crude Oil (Nov 2026) | $90.98 / bbl | -0.56% |
| US 10-Year Treasury Yield | 5.231% | Flat / Adjusted |
Upcoming Earnings and International Market Reactions
European bourses tracked the positive opening on Wall Street. The Euro Stoxx 50 rose 1.04% to 6,190.65, Germany’s DAX gained 1.39%, France’s CAC 40 increased 1.10%, and the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 advanced 1.09%. European sovereign debt markets also found footing after weeks of volatility sparked by France’s projected 5.4% fiscal deficit and budget deadlock.
Attention across US trading desks now pivots to the upcoming earnings season, led by major financial institutions. Kim Forrest, Chief Investment Officer at Bokeh Capital Partners, noted in coverage cited by Yonhap Infomax that large bank reports will offer critical visibility into consumer borrowing behavior and credit conditions ahead of the Federal Reserve’s final policy decisions of the year.
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