Mainstreet Synergy Group — Global Market & Economic Snapshot

Craig Foster
Sep 27
3 min read

Week ending: Friday, September 26, 2025

Headline summary

U.S. equities finished the week mixed but rallied on Friday after the August PCE release and related macro commentary; the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted gains on Friday even as major indexes finished the week with mixed results.
Geopolitical and trade headlines continued to shape markets: renewed U.S. tariff announcements spurred concern in export-dependent economies (notably Singapore and pharmaceutical exporters), while comments on tariff talks and global trade tension weighed on Asian equity markets.
Monetary policy moves and guidance remained a focus: the UAE cut rates (mirroring Fed easing expectations), which supported GCC equities that week, while investors monitored Fed communications for timing of rate cuts.
Regional market weakness in Korea and broader Asia reflected tariff worries, chip-sector sensitivity, and currency moves—South Korea’s Kospi dropped materially on tariff-related concerns.

Key global market closes

US Exchanges

Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) — 46,247.29
S&P 500 (^SPX / ^GSPC) — 6,643.70
NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) — 22,403.27

Canada

S&P/TSX (Canada) — 2,9761.30
S&P/TSX 60 — 1,940.67

Europe

ATX (Austria) — 4,654.25
BFX (Belgium) — 4,670.47
CAC 40 (France, ^FCHI) — 7,870.68
DAX (Germany, ^GDAXI) — 23,739.50
AEX (Netherlands) — 938.35
OMXSPI (Sweden) — 977.76
Swiss (SMI) — 11,929.80
FTSE 100 (UK, ^FTSE) — 9,284.83
IBOVESPA (Brazil, ^BVSP) — 145,447.00

Asia-Pacific

Hong Kong (Hang Seng, ^HSI) — 26,128.20
Nikkei 225 (^N225) — 45,355.00
Australia - 9,079.20
New Zealand (NZ50) — 14,273.80

Regional note: Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) fell modestly on Friday, closing at 4,265.98, reflecting wider regional pressure.

Notable cryptocurrency market moves

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) — $109,712.83
Ethereum (ETH-USD) — $4,005.80
XRP (XRP-USD) — $2.776

Commodities & agricultural highlights

Crude oil (CL=F) — $65.72 / barrel. Oil markets remained volatile after OPEC+ indicated a gradual unwinding of supply cuts; the IEA noted OPEC+’s plan to raise output in October which influenced price action.
Gold (GC=F) — $3,789.80 / oz

Agricultural / soft commodities

Grain and oilseed markets were active: U.S. corn and soy forecasts shifted modestly in USDA and analyst updates, and soy/soymeal dynamics showed sensitivity to export demand changes. Sources flagged mixed weekly moves across wheat, corn and soybeans.

Bond market

U.S. 10-Year Treasury (10-yr / ^TNX) — 4.1870% (close Sept 26, 2025)
U.S. 30-Year Treasury (30-yr / ^TYX) — 4.7660% (close Sept 26, 2025)

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Notable regional / macro stories this week (select headlines)

U.S. tariffs & global trade — U.S. tariff moves (including steep new tariffs on branded drug imports) created fresh concern for export-driven economies—Singapore’s pharma sector flagged potential disruption and sought clarity on exemptions. This story dominated markets in Asia and forced re-evaluations of supply-chain exposures.
UAE rate cut supports Gulf markets — The UAE trimmed rates (0.25 pp) in step with Fed guidance, lifting Dubai and Abu Dhabi exchanges; the move was noted as supportive for domestic equities but kept oil volatility in play.
South Korea and regional market weakness — Korea’s Kospi dropped ~2.45% on tariff concerns and related macro headlines that week; chip and export exposures drove a meaningful portion of the move.
Oil supply dynamics — The IEA noted OPEC+’s plan to gradually lift the second tranche of production cuts beginning in October; the pathway for a full unwind of cuts across many months continued to keep oil markets rangebound.

Closing thoughts and looking ahead

Markets enter the new week watching three main items: (1) tariff and trade headlines (which are driving cross-border risk premia), (2) Fed rate-cut expectations and their timing (which will influence yields and equity multiples), and (3) commodity supply dynamics — especially oil and agricultural export flows — that influence EM macro outcomes. Given elevated policy sensitivity and headline risk, diversification and client-specific liquidity planning remain prudent.

Sources & notes

Market close numbers and historical quotes sourced from Yahoo Finance pages for each ticker. Representative Yahoo pages used: DJI / SPX / IXIC historical pages, BTC-USD history, CL=F, GC=F, ^TNX, ^TYX. Yahoo Finance+6Yahoo Finance+6Yahoo Finance+6
Regional headlines and reporting from Reuters, Korea JoongAng Daily, Business Times (Singapore), IEA, and agriculture outlets (FarmDoc, Agriculture.com). farmdoc daily+5Reuters+5Reuters+5

Disclosure

The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Market conditions can change rapidly; past performance is not indicative of future results. Please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.