What Happened Today, Monday October 26, 2026, 5:00 PM ET close
Stocks open the week with gains as the Nasdaq 100 climbs 1.2%
Tech led a broad rise on Monday while headlines about Iran and the Middle East stayed in focus and bitcoin edged lower.
ES and NQ at the close
NQ, Nasdaq 100 futures
29,467.50
+1.20% on the day
Day range 29,024.25 to 29,572.00
ES, S&P 500 futures
7,714.50
+0.71% on the day
Day range 7,651.75 to 7,739.50
How did our Futures Trading Algo Do Today?
Discipline
No clean setup, no trade: staying flat is a valid result.
Our automated paper book stayed flat today. No strategies fired on NQ or ES, so there were no winners, no losers, and the net result was $0. The alerts did not see a setup that met the rules, and we would rather skip a day than force a trade.
Follow every signal
Telegram, Discord, X
SPY and QQQ
The story
US stocks finished higher on Monday to kick off the week. The Nasdaq 100 gained 1.2%, outpacing the S&P 500, which rose 0.71%. Technology shares appeared to lead the move, since the Nasdaq 100 beat the broader index by roughly half a percentage point. Headlines about Iran and the wider Middle East stayed busy, but stocks held their gains through the session.
The MAG7 and the megacaps
The Nasdaq 100 outperformed the S&P 500 today, which usually points to strength in the biggest technology and growth names. We do not have individual stock figures for the Magnificent 7 in today's data, so we are not quoting moves for each company. The index gap itself is the clearest sign that large tech was a major part of the rally.
After the bell
Tech leads the rise
The Nasdaq 100 gained 1.2% versus 0.71% for the S&P 500. That gap suggests investors favored growth and technology shares on the day.
Iran headlines stay in focus
Reuters reported that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu touted a Trump endorsement on the eve of a vote and suggested the two may restart a war on Iran. Gulf markets, though, mostly rebounded on hopes for Iran diplomacy, so the news pointed in more than one direction.
War effects reach business deals
Spanish and Portuguese energy firms Galp and Moeve scrapped a planned downstream merger, with Reuters saying the Iran war has boosted refinery valuations. It shows how the conflict is shaping corporate decisions.
Regional tensions and currency stress
Reuters reported that Hezbollah is preparing for a new regional war with funds from Iran, and that Egypt's pound hit a record low against the dollar. These are reminders that geopolitical risk remains elevated.
Crypto
Bitcoin was quiet and slightly lower. It closed near $79,931.82, down 0.12%, after trading between about $79,343.66 and $80,612.24. That is a narrow range compared with the jump in stocks, so crypto did not join the risk appetite seen in the Nasdaq 100 today.
Into the night
Overseas news centered on the Middle East. Reuters reported that most Gulf stock markets rebounded on hopes for Iran diplomacy, while Egypt's market fell ahead of a Saudi defence vote and Egypt's pound hit a record low against the dollar. Separately, Russia said Ukraine has repeatedly struck the town of Oleshky ahead of a planned local ceasefire.
What is coming next
Nasdaq 100 high
29,572.00
Today's peak, a level buyers will want to clear to extend the rally.
Nasdaq 100 low
29,024.25
Today's low, a level to watch if stocks give back some gains.
S&P 500 range
7,651.75 to 7,739.50
Today's low and high for the broad market.
Bitcoin range
$79,343.66 to $80,612.24
A tight band; a move outside it would signal a change in mood.
After a strong Monday, the question is whether buyers can hold these gains as the week goes on. Keep an eye on Iran and Middle East headlines, which have been able to move sentiment quickly. This recap is for education only and is not financial advice.
Want this live, for free?
We send market moving news the moment it hits, straight to Telegram, Discord and X. Then this recap pulls the day together every evening: ES and NQ, the MAG7, crypto, and what is next.
Educational market recap, not financial advice. Futures and options trading carry substantial risk of loss. Prices reflect the 2026-10-26 session close; charts are live and interactive. Always verify before acting.