Market Summary — Post market — 2026-05-12
- equity markets experienced a volatile "two-day-in-one" session on May 12, 2026, characterized by an initial sell-off driven by inflation data and geopolitical tensions, followed by a robust rotational recovery
- The session opened under pressure as the April CPI report confirmed elevated year-over-year inflation (3.6% headline, 2.8% core), well above the Federal Reserve's 2.0% target, while crude oil prices surged over $100 per barrel amid escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities
- These factors triggered a sharp decline in growth stocks, particularly within the semiconductor and mega-cap technology sectors, pushing the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 into negative territory