Story perspectives

U.S. stocks rise as oil falls, easing inflation fears

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 10:03 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Stocks Rally

U.S. stocks rallied Friday as lower oil prices eased inflation worries, with WTI crude down about 2%.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each rose 0.9% as FedWatch showed an 87% September hike chance.
Core CPI rose 0.3% month-over-month, with headline CPI up 0.4% month-over-month and 3.4% year-over-year.
Meta shares jumped 5% after releasing Muse AI, driving tech-sector enthusiasm.
Apple shares rose nearly 4% on the iPhone Duo launch, raising iPhone 18 Pro price $100.

Summary

Bessent Curbing Yields

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced moves to curb rising Treasury yields.
The 10-year Treasury yield hovered just below 5%, a “danger zone.”
30-year Treasury yields climbed to about 5.34%.
Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates reached 6.76% last week.
Analysts project 10-year yields could hit 6% soon, a level not seen since 2000.

Summary

Saudi Oil Decline

Saudi Arabia’s oil output fell to its lowest level since 1990, tightening global supply.
Diesel prices in the United States rose above $6 a gallon on Friday, a historic high.
Brent crude futures settled at $104.61 a barrel, down 2.8% after briefly reaching $108.
The International Energy Agency cut its 2026 global oil-demand forecast, citing Middle-East escalation and higher prices.

History

Historical Context

After OAPEC declared an oil embargo in October 1973 to punish U.S. support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War, world oil prices jumped 300%—from about $3 to $12 per barrel—sparking stagflation and prompting Nixon’s emergency measures. The shock showed how Arab cuts could drive mortgage rates above 6%, a pattern echoed today as Saudi output hits its lowest since 1990 and Brent trades near $104.

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Stocks Rally

U.S. stocks rallied Friday as lower oil prices eased inflation worries, with WTI crude down about 2%.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each rose 0.9% as FedWatch showed an 87% September hike chance.
Core CPI rose 0.3% month-over-month, with headline CPI up 0.4% month-over-month and 3.4% year-over-year.
Meta shares jumped 5% after releasing Muse AI, driving tech-sector enthusiasm.
Apple shares rose nearly 4% on the iPhone Duo launch, raising iPhone 18 Pro price $100.

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