In the US regular session on August 3, 2026, the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.13%, while all the other major indexes gained more than 1%. Among the tracked stocks, Sandisk and Meta advanced more than 6%, while Apple fell 1.78%, closing in the opposite direction from the indexes and other large-cap technology stocks.
Nasdaq Leads With a 2.13% Gain as All Four Indexes Rise More Than 1%
All figures below are regular-session closing data from August 3, 2026. Index levels and changes are measured in points, while percentage changes are measured in %.
| Major index | Close (points) | Change from previous close |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,600.50 | +110.78 points (+1.48%) |
| Nasdaq Composite | 25,913.90 | +540.05 points (+2.13%) |
| Dow Jones | 53,178.41 | +693.38 points (+1.32%) |
| Russell 2000 | 2,981.91 | +50.57 points (+1.73%) |
On August 3, 2026, the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.13%, the largest gain among the major indexes. The Russell 2000 followed with a 1.73% increase, the S&P 500 with 1.48%, and the Dow Jones with 1.32%. Only the Russell 2000 declined in the previous trading session, but both large-cap and small- and mid-cap indexes finished higher on this day. S&P 500 closing data Nasdaq Composite closing data Dow Jones closing data Russell 2000 closing data
Trading Economics reported that the major US stock indexes rose more than 1% on August 3, 2026. This is consistent with the direction of the collected regular-session closing data, but the market explanation presented in the report cannot be established as the direct cause of each index’s gain. Original Trading Economics report
Editor’s interpretation: The closing pattern on August 3, 2026, reflects a relatively broad index advance, with the Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Russell 2000 all rising, rather than a move driven solely by a handful of mega-cap stocks. Still, the Nasdaq Composite’s gain exceeded the Russell 2000’s by 0.40 percentage points, indicating relative strength in the technology-heavy index.
Sandisk and Meta Surge More Than 6%, While Apple Alone Declines
Sandisk, the top-performing tracked stock on August 3, 2026, closed the regular session at $1,288.03, up $73.20, or 6.03%, from the previous close. Meta followed closely, gaining $33.53, or 6.02%, to close at $590.24. Their gains exceeded the Nasdaq Composite’s 2.13% advance in the same trading session by 3.90 percentage points and 3.89 percentage points, respectively. Previous analysis of the individual stocks is available through Sandisk closing data and the Sandisk stock hub, as well as Meta closing data and the Meta stock hub.
In contrast, Apple closed the regular session on August 3, 2026, at $303.42, down $5.49, or 1.78%, from the previous close. Apple was the only decliner as all four major indexes and the other tracked stocks advanced, leaving a 3.91-percentage-point gap versus the Nasdaq Composite’s change. Previous analysis is available through Apple closing data and the Apple stock hub.
Editor’s interpretation: The technology-heavy index was strong on August 3, 2026, but not every large-cap technology stock moved in the same direction. Apple’s divergence alone does not establish a company-specific cause. What the closing data show is that Apple’s relative weakness stood out within a tracked list dominated by advancing stocks.
Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon All Rise More Than 4%
Microsoft closed the regular session on August 3, 2026, at $487.65, up $22.93, or 4.93%, from the previous close. Alphabet gained $17.38, or 4.88%, to close at $373.51, while Amazon rose $12.44, or 4.58%, to close at $284.02. All three stocks outperformed the Nasdaq Composite’s 2.13% gain in the same trading session by more than 2 percentage points. Related analysis is available through Microsoft closing data and its stock hub, Alphabet closing data and its stock hub, and Amazon closing data and its stock hub.
Tesla closed on August 3, 2026, at $322.08, up $10.87, or 3.49%, from the previous close, while Nvidia gained $5.89, or 2.93%, to close at $206.64. Micron rose $6.47, or 0.79%, to close at $829.50, recording the smallest gain among the tracked stocks. Tesla stock hub Nvidia stock hub Micron closing data Micron stock hub
Schwab’s early-session report said weaker oil prices were helping stocks, while semiconductor shares were under pressure, offering context for the market’s direction at that time. However, this explanation applied to conditions early in the session. Nvidia rose 2.93%, Micron gained 0.79%, and Sandisk advanced 6.03% by the regular-session close on August 3, 2026, so the explanation should not be extended unchanged through the end of the regular session. Original Schwab early-session report
Oil Falls 5.29% as Long-Term Yields Also Decline
WTI crude oil stood at $80.19 per barrel on August 3, 2026, down $4.48 per barrel, or 5.29%, from the previous close. The US 10-year Treasury yield was 4.686% in the same trading session, 0.059 percentage points lower than the previous close. Major stock indexes rose as oil prices and long-term yields declined, but these simultaneous closing moves alone do not establish that the declines in oil or yields caused the stock market’s advance. WTI crude oil closing data US 10-year Treasury yield data
A Penn Mutual Asset Management report presented the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold its policy rate steady, mega-cap technology company earnings, and artificial intelligence-related developments as part of the market’s broader backdrop at the time. This is the report’s interpretation and is not evidence establishing the causes of the closing gains in individual stocks and indexes on August 3, 2026. Original Penn Mutual Asset Management report
The VIX stood at 15.83 points on August 3, 2026, down 0.16 points, or 1.00%, from the previous close. The US Dollar Index rose 0.165 points, or 0.17%, to 99.965 points, while the US dollar–South Korean won exchange rate increased by 8.65 won, or 0.61%, to 1,429.25 won per dollar. VIX closing data US Dollar Index data US dollar–South Korean won data
Three Items to Watch in the Next Regular Session
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It will be important to see whether the magnitude of the moves in Sandisk and Meta, which rose 6.03% and 6.02%, respectively, on August 3, 2026, narrows in the next regular session, and whether Apple, which fell 1.78% that day, continues to move in a different direction from the major indexes and other large-cap technology stocks.
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Watch whether the gap in percentage changes between Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon, which each gained more than 4% on August 3, 2026, and Micron, which rose just 0.79%, persists in the next regular session.
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Watch how WTI crude oil, which closed at $80.19 per barrel on August 3, 2026, the US 10-year Treasury yield, which ended at 4.686%, and the VIX, which closed at 15.83 points, move in relation to the major stock indexes. These are items to observe, not predictions about the direction of the next regular session or judgments about buying or selling.