The Markets (as of market close July 10, 2026)

Investors were somewhat skittish during the early part of last week as tensions in the Middle East intensified. However, stocks closed the week on an uptick following solid sessions last Thursday and Friday. After a brief retreat, tech shares led the market surge, supported by the New York market debut of a major South Korean chip manufacturer, which enjoyed the largest-ever U.S. market debut of a foreign firm. Several market sectors performed well, led by energy and information technology. Consumer discretionary, industrials, and materials lagged. Crude oil prices posted weekly gains despite slipping last Friday as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz kept supply concerns elevated.

Stock Market Indexes

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic News

• The services sector experienced a modest increase in activity in June, supported by a faster increase in new business as firms responded to gradually stabilizing economic conditions. That said, inflationary pressures stayed elevated, despite easing since May, as tariffs and higher fuel prices increased costs to service providers. Nevertheless, confidence in the sector’s outlook improved in June to the highest since February.
• Sales of existing homes fell 2.4% in June but were up 2.8% from a year earlier. Inventory of existing homes for sale sat at a 4.6-month supply, up from 4.5 months last month and unchanged from one year ago. The median existing home price in June was $440,600, 2.2% above the May price of $431,200 and 1.8% higher than the June 2025 price of $432,700. Sales of existing single-family homes declined 2.4% in June but increased 3.3% from a year earlier. The median existing single-family home price in June, at $446,400, was 2.2% above the May price of $436,400 and 1.8% higher than the June 2025 price of $438,600.
• The international trade in goods and services deficit rose 42.2% in May to $77.6 billion. Exports declined 3.2%, while imports increased 3.3%. Year to date, the goods and services deficit decreased $203.9 billion, or 40.6%, from the same period in 2025. Exports increased $164.7 billion, or 11.7%. Imports decreased $39.2 billion, or 2.1%.
• For the week ended July 4, there were 215,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 2,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims for the week ended June 27 was 1.2%, unchanged from the prior week’s rate. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended June 27 was 1,814,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised down by 8,000. States and territories with the highest insured unemployment rates for the week ended June 20 were Puerto Rico (2.5%), Minnesota (2.2%), New Jersey (2.1%), California (1.9%), Massachusetts (1.9%), Oregon (1.9%), Washington (1.9%), Rhode Island (1.8%), Illinois (1.6%), Nevada (1.6%), and Pennsylvania (1.6%). The largest increases in initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended June 27 were in New Jersey (+7,262), Connecticut (+2,503), Massachusetts (+1,823), New York (+1,373), and Oklahoma (+1,264), while the largest decreases were in California (-6,158), Pennsylvania (-2,995), Minnesota (-1,947), Wisconsin (-1,029), and Texas (-812).
• The national average retail price for regular gasoline was $3.777 per gallon on July 6, $0.054 per gallon below the prior week’s price but $0.652 per gallon higher than a year ago. Also, as of July 6, the East Coast price decreased $0.042 to $3.700 per gallon; the Midwest price dipped $0.094 to $3.531 per gallon; the Gulf Coast price slid $0.022 to $3.343 per gallon; the Rocky Mountain price decreased $0.054 to $3.661 per gallon; and the West Coast price declined $0.088 to $4.831 per gallon.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Most of the attention this week will be focused on the latest inflation-related data with the releases of the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Index.

Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI, Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates).

News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e., wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Forecasts are based on current conditions, subject to change, and may not come to pass. U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. The principal value of Treasury securities and other bonds fluctuates with market conditions. Bonds are subject to inflation, interest-rate, and credit risks. As interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall. A bond sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 largest, publicly traded companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. The U.S. Dollar Index is a geometrically weighted index of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to six foreign currencies. Market indexes listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

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First Financial Trust, N. A., does not provide tax or legal advice. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances

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