Updated Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026 · Published every Friday after the close
Wall Street had a week of two halves from Oct. 19 to 23: three days of gains on strong earnings, then a sharp tech sell-off as investors started questioning how much AI spending will actually pay off. The S&P 500 slipped 0.47% and the Nasdaq 0.71%, while the Dow eked out a third straight weekly gain. Colombia told a different story for dollar investors: the COLCAP fell about 1% in pesos, but a stronger peso left U.S.-based holders almost flat. Below: the week in numbers, the biggest winners and losers, what it meant for your 401(k), and how the current week is shaping up.
1. Good earnings weren’t enough: Meta and Comfort Systems beat and still fell sharply. 2. The market is shifting from rewarding AI ambition to demanding AI returns. 3. The Dow outperformed as investors rotated toward value and dividend payers. 4. In Colombia, the peso offset most of the local sell-off for dollar investors.
This week so far (Oct. 26–28)
The rebound has been strong: chips and AI-infrastructure names led Monday and Tuesday, and the Fed held rates on Wednesday, albeit with two officials voting to hike. Microsoft and Alphabet reported Wednesday night; Amazon, Intel and PCE inflation come Thursday. See the latest daily close.
The charts and screeners behind our market coverage. Create a free account; if you later choose a paid plan you get a $15 discount.
Open TradingView → · Affiliate linkWall Street: the week of Oct. 19–23
| Index | Close Oct. 16 | Close Oct. 23 | Weekly change |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,659.44 | 7,623.68 | −0.47% |
| Dow Jones | 52,002.41 | 52,215.16 | +0.41% |
| Nasdaq | 26,140.03 | 25,955.34 | −0.71% |
The S&P 500 climbed Monday through Wednesday to 7,757.17 before Thursday’s tech and chip sell-off sent the Nasdaq down 2.6%, its worst day since June. Meta fell about 7% despite beating revenue estimates, after lifting its 2026 spending forecast to $135–145 billion. On Friday, a jump in oil hit airlines. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged a second straight weekly loss; the Dow, a third straight gain.
Biggest winners and losers
| Company | Ticker | Weekly change | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▲ Top gainer | Hasbro | HAS | +18.91% | Strong quarterly results |
| ▼ Top decliner | Comfort Systems USA | FIX | −19.33% | Beat estimates but fell on lofty expectations |
| Notable | Meta Platforms | META | ≈ −7% (Thu.) | Raised AI spending to $135–145B |
Fundamentals, charts, valuation and side-by-side comparisons of stocks, ETFs and funds worldwide, including Colombian ADRs. There is a free plan to start.
Try Koyfin → · Affiliate linkWhat it meant for your 401(k)
| If you own… | The week’s takeaway |
|---|---|
| S&P 500 index funds | Small loss (−0.5%); a pause after strong gains, not a trend change |
| Nasdaq/tech-heavy funds | Bigger hit (−0.7%); AI-spending skepticism is the key risk to watch |
| Dividend/value funds | Outperformed, helped by the Dow’s gain |
| Bonds | Yields near 5% kept pressure on long-duration bonds |
| Emerging markets (Colombia) | Roughly flat in dollars thanks to the peso |
Colombia in dollar terms
The COLCAP fell 1.75% Monday on profit-taking, rebounded 1.07% Wednesday, dropped 1.25% Thursday and recovered 0.44% Friday as oil lifted Ecopetrol, closing at 2,539.59, still up about 23% for the year in pesos. Top gainer: Cementos Argos preferred (+1.12%). Biggest decliner: Mineros (−10.01%). For U.S. investors holding Colombian ADRs such as Ecopetrol (EC) or Bancolombia/Cibest (CIB), the peso’s gain cushioned the local drop. Read why the peso is so strong.
Our take
The defining pattern was that “better than expected” no longer guaranteed a rally. When a stock prices in a lot of optimism, a beat can still disappoint. We read this as a turning point from rewarding AI ambition to demanding AI returns, which is why this week’s results from Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon matter so much. For dollar investors in Colombia, the currency remains a double-edged sword: a tailwind all year, but one that could reverse if the Fed turns more hawkish.
What to watch the rest of this week
- Thursday, Oct. 29: U.S. Q3 GDP (first estimate) and September PCE inflation; Amazon, Intel, Mastercard, Caterpillar and Eli Lilly report. Full preview.
- Friday, Oct. 30: Colombia’s central bank decision, with most analysts expecting a hike from 12.25% to 12.50%; ExxonMobil and Chevron report with oil above $100.
Frequently asked questions
How did the stock market do the week of Oct. 19–23, 2026?
The S&P 500 fell 0.47% to 7,623.68 and the Nasdaq 0.71% to 25,955.34, while the Dow rose 0.41% to 52,215.16.
Why did the Nasdaq fall that week?
A Thursday sell-off in technology and chip stocks on doubts about AI spending sent the Nasdaq down 2.6%, its worst day since June. Meta fell about 7% after raising its spending estimate to $135–145 billion.
What were the best and worst S&P 500 stocks of the week?
Hasbro led with +18.91%; Comfort Systems USA was the biggest decliner at −19.33%.
How did Colombian stocks do in dollar terms?
The MSCI COLCAP fell 1.04% in pesos, but the peso gained about 0.9%, leaving dollar-based investors roughly flat (about −0.2%).
What happened in the week of Oct. 26–30?
Through Wednesday, Oct. 28, the S&P 500 was up about 1.6% for the week and the Nasdaq about 2.2%, while COLCAP was down about 2%. The Fed held rates with two votes for a hike.
More from Bolsa al Día: Stock market today · Colombia stock market today · Best-performing stocks of 2026 · Leer en español
Top movers based on Oct. 16 vs. Oct. 23 closes (S&P 500: Finviz; Colombia: most-traded stocks, Investing.com). Sources: Yahoo Finance/AP, Valora Analitik, The Motley Fool, Infobae, StockTitan, TradingView. For information only; not investment advice.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or subscribe through them, Bolsa al Día may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our analysis. Learn more.
Leave a Reply