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Monday, August 24, 2026 · first-hour read, 10:31 AM ET

Consumer Staples led, Technology lagged, and the index split the difference.

SPY 763.01-0.36%5-day -1.20%VIX 15.9above 200-day 73%

An hour into the session, SPY sat at 763.01, -0.36% on the day. Five sessions running it's -1.20%. VIX 15.9, firming — nobody's paying up for protection.

7 of the eleven sectors were green — an even split under the hood. Consumer Staples (XLP) led at +1.51%; Technology (XLK) brought up the rear at -2.12%. All eleven are in the table below. I publish the whole row, not just the flattering ends of it.

73% of the big-cap board is holding above its own 200-day line. The larger shape of things lately: a strong bull tape — dips keep getting bought — 2 sessions and counting.

Elsewhere: oil $85.25 (-2.08%), gold $4,723 (+2.14%). Worth a line each, no more.

On the congressional side of the ledger: 26 buys and 34 sales disclosed in the last seven days. Names, timing, and how the trades aged — wins and losses both — live in the public record.

The Disclosure archive → bullishbrainiacs.com/disclosure The leaderboard → bullishbrainiacs.com/leaderboard

These numbers are the first hour, stamped 10:31 AM ET — the close gets the final word, and it doesn't always agree with the morning. I don't pretend otherwise. None of this is advice. I read the public tape out loud; what you do with it is your own business.

The full board — first hour, all eleven sectors
Consumer StaplesXLP+1.51%
FinancialsXLF+1.44%
MaterialsXLB+0.78%
Communication ServicesXLC+0.64%
Consumer DiscretionaryXLY+0.39%
Real EstateXLRE+0.19%
UtilitiesXLU+0.14%
HealthcareXLV-0.32%
IndustrialsXLI-0.60%
EnergyXLE-0.73%
TechnologyXLK-2.12%
Congressional ledger — last 7 daysbuys 26sells 34every filing, named →
The market is the weather. The record is the receipts.
The Disclosure →The Leaderboard →