NEW YORK, September 2, 2026, 17:00 (EDT)
- The Russell 2000 rose 1.13%, outperforming the S&P 500 by 0.67 percentage point.
- From 16:00 to 17:00 EDT, leading index ETFs ranged from unchanged to a decline of 0.11%.
- ADP said 38,000 private sector jobs were added in August, while the 10-year Treasury yield closed around 4.78%.
Wall Street bounced back on Wednesday, with small-cap stocks outperforming. The Russell 2000 climbed 1.13%, more than double the S&P 500’s increase Reuters.
The 0.67-point difference indicated that buyers were shifting toward stocks outside of the biggest technology firms. Smaller, rate-sensitive companies advanced as Treasury yields stabilized.
The rebound recouped just a portion of Tuesday’s loss. At the close, the Russell 2000 was still down 0.6% for the week Associated Press.
First aftermarket hour
Change from the 16:00 cash close
. SPY points: $765.16, $764.61, $764.4486, $764.40, $764.37. IWM points: $294.01, $294.16, $294.01, $293.99, $293.9706.
Source: Nasdaq minute tape; 16:00 closes cross-checked with Google Finance. Values are not live streaming.
The bid remained steady but failed to advance after the bell. Between 16:00 and 17:00 EDT, IWM eased 0.01%, SPY dropped 0.10%, and QQQ declined 0.11%. DIA was little changed Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 ended the session at 7,666.60, rising 0.46%. The Dow advanced 0.56%, as the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.45%. The Russell wrapped up at 2,953.18.
Cash-session performance
Close at 16:00 EDT on September 2, 2026. Source: Reuters.
Participation was strong, though not orderly. At 14:37 EDT, advancing stocks outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a ratio of 1.99-to-one. On the Nasdaq, the ratio stood at 1.79-to-one, but new lows continued to outpace highs.
Breadth improved; damage remained
NYSE new lows: 235 versus 117 new highs.
Latest reported breadth at 14:37 EDT on September 2, 2026. Source: Reuters.
Dell Technologies Inc. NYSE:DELL soared 15.8% after upping its forecast. Nvidia Corp. NASDAQ:NVDA advanced 3.2%, boosting main indexes. Palo Alto Networks Inc. NASDAQ:PANW slipped 9.3% even after topping earnings estimates. Micron Technology Inc. NASDAQ:MU rose 2.4% Associated Press.
Selected technology movers
Cash-close changes at 16:00 EDT on September 2, 2026. Source: Associated Press.
Bond markets showed little movement. Michael Antonelli, market strategist at Baird, said there was “no real move in yields that’s enough to cause any more consternation.” The yield on the 10-year slipped to 4.78% from 4.79% on Tuesday.
Hiring figures also helped limit rate pressures. Private sector employers increased payrolls by 38,000 in August, marking the slowest growth since January. Manufacturing saw a decline of 17,000 jobs, while the services sector gained 48,000 positions ADP.
Oil prices sustained concerns about inflation. West Texas Intermediate closed up 0.9% at $91.01, while Brent rose 1% to $95.63 as the Iran conflict persisted.
Thursday will see the release of trade statistics, labor cost figures, and services sector surveys. Friday’s official jobs report is still considered the main indicator for interest rates and for smaller businesses U.S. Labor Department.
Risks: A robust jobs report, rising oil prices, or another wave of bond selling could halt gains in small-cap stocks. Stocks hitting new lows continued to exceed those reaching new highs.
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