The 1-Minute Market Report, July 18, 2026

Last week, the S&P 500 fell 1.6% as investors rotated from large-cap growth into value and defensive stocks. Energy and commodities outperformed, while technology and momentum stocks lagged amid renewed geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns. Apple (AAPL) notably gained 5.8% despite broad weakness in the Mag 7, positioning itself near the top U.S. market cap spot. I remain unconvinced that rising energy prices alone will prompt a Fed rate hike unless the 10-year Treasury exceeds 5%. Last week, the S&P 500 gave up 1.6% as investors sold off their large cap growth stocks and rotated into value stocks and defensive names. We will cover all the action in our customary way - using the charts and I spent 30 years in the institutional trenches as a trader, analyst, and portfolio manager, eventually running the equity trading desk at Northern Trust in Chicago. Those decades shaped my approach: stay disciplined, trust the data, and keep emotion out of the way. Since 2009, when I began publishing my stock selections, my portfolio has delivered solid long term results—compounding in the mid teens annually through 2025. Today I’m a private investor and investing coach, with a rules based framework that helps people build better portfolios. My work focuses on systematic thinking, behavioral awareness, and evidence over opinion. For my market outlook and model portfolio updates, visit zeninvestor.org.