The stock market slid on Friday, but S&P 500 and Nasdaq still managed to post their third consecutive weekly gains.
U.S. retail sales unexpectedly dropped 0.6% in July, fueling concerns about the strength of economic growth. Meanwhile, rising oil prices and ongoing Middle East tensions weighed on investor sentiment. Energy stocks outperformed, while technology and semiconductor shares pulled back.
Overall, S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 7,786, while Nasdaq declined 0.3% to 26,729.
Chart of the Day
Here is the one-year chart of Amphenol (APH) as of August 4, 2026, when the stock was at $163.
Connector manufacturer Amphenol saw record customer orders across nearly every end market, pointing to continued business momentum. Last quarter, orders jumped 94% year-over-year to a record $10.7 billion, pushing the company’s book-to-bill ratio to 1.23, meaning it received more new orders than it shipped during the quarter.
Management stated every end market posted a book-to-bill ratio above one, with particularly strong demand from AI, defense, industrial, commercial aerospace, automotive, and mobile devices. Meanwhile, business is currently humming at Amphenol.
Last quarter, profits jumped 67% on a 55% rise in revenue. But some of that revenue was from recent acquisitions, as organic sales increased a more modest 30%.
APH is part of the Conservative Growth Portfolio, Growth Portfolio, and Focus List. Robotics are the next frontier.
