On Friday, August 9th, U.S. stock markets closed higher, nearly erasing weekly losses from a sharp Monday drop. Tech led the rebound, and the “fear gauge” declined after an early surge. In economic data, Baker Hughes reported that the total number of active U.S. oil rigs rose by three this week, bringing the count to 485 rigs. All S&P 500 sectors closed higher on Friday, led by gains in communication services, real estate, and information technology, while materials stocks ended lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.13% and closed at 39,497.54. The S&P 500 gained 0.47%, ending the day at 5,344.16, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.51%, finishing the session at 16,745.30. Asian Markets Today Japan’s market was closed ...