US stock market today (May 20, 2026): S&P 500 nears record high, easing Treasury yields lift sentiment - The Times of India

• Moneycontrol.com is providing real-time live updates and comprehensive news coverage regarding the current status of the Indian stock market. • The platform is focusing on delivering the latest share market trends and critical updates to help investors track market movements.

• The Indian stock market closed in the red on Thursday, with the Sensex ending 135 points lower and the Nifty 50 slipping below 23,700. • Markets erased morning gains due to expiry day volatility, rising bond yields, and selling by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), impacting stocks like Bajaj Finance (-2%) and IndiGo (+3%).

• The House of Commons Library has released updated GDP international comparisons to measure the size and growth of the UK economy. • The report provides the latest GDP growth data for the UK and offers direct performance benchmarks against other G7 economies.

• Over 30 major companies, including Meta, Amazon, LinkedIn, Walmart, and Standard Chartered, have implemented layoffs throughout 2026. • Freshworks, a software firm based in San Mateo, California, announced in early May that it will reduce its workforce by 11% during the second quarter.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) is expanding its influence beyond interest rate decisions through a recent Governing Council meeting focused on non-monetary policy. • Discussions centered on critical technical frameworks, including banking regulation, cybersecurity, financial stability, and the evolution of digital finance.

• The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, manages the nation's monetary and financial system to ensure stability and flexibility. • The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) conducts eight regularly scheduled meetings annually, with additional sessions convened as necessary.

• Stock markets edged higher in early trading as investors anticipate key financial reports and macroeconomic data. • Nvidia is scheduled to report earnings, with market participants specifically focusing on the company's gross margins.

• MarketsMojo has launched a comprehensive financial news and analysis platform providing real-time updates on trending stocks, IPOs, mutual funds, and global markets. • The service offers a suite of investor tools, including detailed result analysis, corporate news, and seamless portfolio tracking to help users monitor their assets.

• Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said on Wednesday that banks and fintech firms are increasingly using transaction-account data, AI-assisted analysis and behavioral science to measure customers’ financial health. • Barr said these tools let institutions move beyond simply expanding access and instead design products and outreach that can produce “measurable improvement” in outcomes for consumers.

• European shares moved higher on Wednesday afternoon, with London’s FTSE 100 up 11 points to 10,335, Paris’s CAC 40 up 23 points to 8,011 and Frankfurt’s DAX up 200 points to 24,508 by 2:50pm. • The rally came after investors welcomed news that the United States had paused an attack on Iran following Tehran’s latest peace proposal, easing some geopolitical pressure.

• Asian stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as higher bond yields and renewed concern over the war with Iran weighed on risk assets across the region. • Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.2% to 59,804.41, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.7%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.3%, and South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.9%.