What Happened Today, Friday October 23, 2026, 5:00 PM ET close
Stocks Split on Friday as Iran Headlines Keep Investors Cautious
The S&P 500 slipped while the Nasdaq 100 held a small gain, and Bitcoin barely moved.
ES and NQ at the close
NQ, Nasdaq 100 futures
29,175.00
+0.11% on the day
Day range 28,987.00 to 29,326.00
ES, S&P 500 futures
7,672.50
-0.42% on the day
Day range 7,648.50 to 7,714.25
How did our Futures Trading Algo Do Today?
Discipline
No qualifying setups meant no trades, and staying flat was the right call.
Our automated alert book stayed flat today, with zero trades on NQ and ES and no wins or losses, so no strategy fired and net paper P&L was $0. The market gave mixed signals, with the S&P 500 futures drifting lower while the Nasdaq 100 futures held a small gain, and nothing met our entry rules. Sitting out is a valid result, and it is part of how the system protects capital.
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The story
Wall Street ended the week on a mixed note. S&P 500 futures closed at 7,672.5, down 0.42%, while Nasdaq 100 futures finished at 29,175, up 0.11%. The split suggests investors were selective rather than broadly selling, with technology holding up better than the wider market. Headlines about a possible new US military operation against Iran, and talk of how the conflict might end, kept a cautious tone in place going into the weekend.
The MAG7 and the megacaps
We do not have individual price data for the Magnificent 7 stocks in today's numbers, so we will not guess at their moves. What we can say is that Nasdaq 100 futures, which are heavily weighted toward the largest tech names, edged up 0.11% while the broader S&P 500 futures fell 0.42%. That gap hints that large technology companies held up a little better than the rest of the market on Friday.
After the bell
Iran headlines stay front and center
Reuters reported that Trump said the US may do another military operation against Iran, and that he is weighing a quick end to the war against letting the conflict wither. Uncertainty about which path comes next kept investors careful.
Worries about Gulf infrastructure
Reuters also reported that Iran has detailed plans to hit undersea cables in the Gulf if war resumes. Any threat to key communication links adds to concerns about the wider economic fallout.
Turkey warns against escalation
Turkey said a renewed attack on Iran would expand the conflict and that diplomacy is the only way to resolve it. The comment highlights how many countries are watching the situation closely.
Russia and Ukraine strikes continue
CNBC reported that Russia and Ukraine traded fresh strikes despite a renewed push for US-brokered peace talks, keeping global political risk on the radar.
Crypto
Bitcoin was nearly unchanged, closing at $81,292.66, down 0.02%. It traded between $81,046.80 and $81,914.82, a very narrow band for the day. While stocks reacted to geopolitical news, crypto stayed quiet and did not add to the day's swings.
Into the night
Overnight and early-session headlines centered on the Middle East. Reuters reported that Trump said the US may carry out another military operation against Iran, and that officials say Iran has detailed plans to hit Gulf undersea cables if war resumes. Turkey said a renewed attack would expand the conflict and that diplomacy is the only way forward. Separately, Russia and Ukraine traded fresh strikes even as a US-brokered push for peace talks resumed.
What is coming next
S&P 500 futures support
7,648.5
Friday's low, a level traders will watch if selling returns.
S&P 500 futures resistance
7,714.25
Friday's high, the top of the day's range.
Nasdaq 100 futures support
28,987
Friday's low, just under 0.7% below the close.
Nasdaq 100 futures resistance
29,326
Friday's high, about 0.5% above the close.
With the weekend ahead, news about Iran and the Russia and Ukraine talks could shape how markets open on Monday. The levels above are simply the edges of Friday's trading range, not predictions. This recap is for education only and is not financial advice.
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Educational market recap, not financial advice. Futures and options trading carry substantial risk of loss. Prices reflect the 2026-10-23 session close; charts are live and interactive. Always verify before acting.