Important economic news for today, Friday, August 21, 2026.

Key economic news and developments impacting global markets today, Friday:

1. Stock Markets and Bond Yields:

- US Treasury Yields: The recent easing of long-term bond yields reversed course; the 10-year Treasury yield climbed back toward 4.69%, while the 30-year yield stood at 5.24%. This occurred despite the US Treasury Department's announcement of an expanded debt buyback program aimed at alleviating market pressures.

- Index Performance: Markets showed mixed results; major Wall Street indices declined under pressure from rising bond yields, whereas US index futures remained stable, and Asian and European stocks posted slight gains.

2. Oil and Energy Market Trends:

- Brent crude is trading around $93.45 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is hovering near $86.53 per barrel.

- Oil prices have maintained overall weekly gains exceeding 5%—driven by geopolitical tensions and supply constraints—despite experiencing some temporary selling pressure during today's session.

3. Gold and Precious Metals:

- Global spot gold prices have stabilized near $4,514 per ounce.

- The yellow metal is on track for its third consecutive weekly gain (rising approximately 3.2% over the week), supported by a weaker US dollar and growing concerns regarding government debt levels.

4. Flash Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMI) and Asian Data:

- Japan: Data showed the annual inflation rate rising to 1.9% in July, while the preliminary manufacturing PMI reading for August rebounded to 55.1 points.

- Eurozone and UK: Preliminary PMI readings for the manufacturing and services sectors in Europe and the United States are being released today, providing a clearer picture of the economic growth trajectory for the third quarter.