Market - US stock market closed mixed on February 14, with all three major indices recording weekly declines. The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 fell by 1.23%, 2.1%, and 1.39% respectively, as investors weighed the impact of artificial intelligence across various industries and noted that the core CPI for January hit a nearly five-year low [2][4]. - In the top 20 stocks by trading volume, Applied Materials surged by 8.08% after providing a strong revenue forecast, while Nvidia dropped by 2.23% due to procurement issues from Samsung and SK Hynix [3][46]. - Popular Chinese stocks showed mixed performance, with Alibaba down by 2.05% and Tencent Music up by 4.52%. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell by 0.1% [4][47]. Company - SpaceX is considering a dual-class share structure for its upcoming IPO to maintain Elon Musk's control, similar to a previous strategy used for Tesla. The company, which recently acquired AI startup xAI, is expected to have a valuation exceeding $1.5 trillion [19][43]. - OpenAI has been selected to participate in a US military challenge to develop voice-controlled drone swarm software, collaborating with two defense tech firms. This initiative is part of a $100 million challenge announced by the Department of Defense [20][43]. - Goldman Sachs launched a new stock basket aimed at companies that are less likely to be replaced by AI, betting on firms that require physical execution or are protected by regulatory barriers [22][43]. - Castle Investment's three flagship funds saw a 22% decline in net profits, attributed to high employee compensation costs amid a competitive talent market, despite a 4% increase in operational costs [23][43]. - The US has eased energy sanctions on Venezuela, allowing companies like Chevron and BP to operate in the oil and gas sector, which could lead to new investments [24][43]. - Meta plans to add facial recognition technology to its smart glasses, allowing users to identify people through an AI assistant, despite previous concerns over privacy and ethical implications [27][43].

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market is showing resilience, with major indexes trending higher due to a positive inflation report suggesting the Federal Reserve's restrictive policy may be nearing its end [1] - Major market indexes are largely in the green, with the S&P 500 trading between 6,500 and 7,000, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining over 150 points, and the Nasdaq Composite up approximately 0.4% [2] Inflation Data - The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a month-over-month increase of just 0.2%, below the consensus estimate of 0.3%, and a year-over-year CPI of 2.4%, the lowest since early 2024 [3] - This "muted" inflation reading has led traders to price in a higher probability of a rate cut in the second quarter, benefiting growth-oriented equities [3] AI Capital Expenditure Trends - The combined AI-related capital expenditure for Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms is expected to exceed $650 billion in 2026, reflecting confidence in long-term AI demand but raising concerns about near-term free cash flow [4] - Amazon is expected to generate significant cash flow, but most is being reinvested into data centers and GPUs, limiting buybacks or dividends [5] - Microsoft is experiencing slight margin pressure due to costs associated with Azure AI workloads, while Nvidia benefits as a primary supplier of hardware for these infrastructure projects [5] Corporate Earnings and News - Restaurant Brands International reported an 8% organic growth in adjusted operating income for full-year 2025 [6] - Apple is adjusting its supply chain in India to mitigate potential tariff impacts [7] - Tesla projects vehicle delivery growth of 47% to 59% for the 2026 fiscal year [7] - Baxter International shares are under pressure following an earnings miss and cautious forward guidance [7] - Advance Auto Parts reported steady performance in a challenging retail environment [7] Upcoming Market Events - U.S. markets will be closed on February 16th for President's Day, with focus shifting to the December Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index upon resumption of trading [8]

Market Overview - Stocks are higher due to cooler than expected inflation data, although there has been a recent sell-off [1][2] - The Nasdaq composite and S&P 500 are up, with real estate, healthcare, and utilities leading the gains as investors rotate away from tech [2] - Walmart reached an all-time high, while Visa, Nvidia, and Apple saw declines [3] Inflation and Economic Indicators - January's consumer price index (CPI) showed slower inflation, the lowest since May, with improvements in food and energy prices [6][7] - Services inflation remains high, indicating persistent inflationary pressures [7][22] - The unemployment rate dropped to 4.3%, with job growth concentrated in healthcare and social assistance sectors [9][10] Federal Reserve Outlook - Chicago Fed President Austin Goulby emphasizes the need for more progress on inflation before considering further rate cuts [28][29] - Core inflation is projected to remain around 3%, which is above the Fed's target [30][31] - The Fed is cautious about making premature rate cuts, focusing on actual inflation and employment data [21][26] Sector Performance - Semiconductor and software stocks are showing mixed performance after a recent sell-off [4][5] - Defensive sectors like consumer staples and utilities are gaining traction as investors seek stability amid market volatility [57] - AI disruption fears are impacting various industries, including transportation and real estate, as companies adapt to new technologies [51][52] Company Highlights - Rivian reported better-than-expected Q4 results, achieving its first annual gross profit and strong guidance for future vehicle deliveries [63][64] - Applied Materials, a major supplier of chipmaking equipment, has seen significant stock gains due to increased demand driven by AI investments [70][71] - American Superconductor is focusing on enhancing grid reliability and power quality to meet rising electricity demands [81][82]

U.S. equity markets extended their slide on Friday, February 13, 2026, as a deepening sell-off in the technology sector overshadowed a surprisingly cool inflation report. Despite data showing that price pressures are easing faster than economists anticipated, investor anxiety regarding the long-term profitability of artificial intelligence (AI) and a significant technical setback for the world’s largest company sent major indexes into the red for a second consecutive session.Major Market Indexes Performance ...

Andrew Ferguson of the F.T.C. said in a letter to Apple that it might be violating consumer protection law by stifling conservative speech in its news aggregation service. ...

Core Insights - Apple stock has faced significant pressure recently, erasing its year-to-date gains due to a combination of regulatory scrutiny and delays in AI feature releases [1][1][1] Company Performance - Apple shares initially gained momentum in January following an AI partnership announcement with Alphabet and record holiday-quarter revenue [1][1] - However, the stock dropped 5% after the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning regarding the Apple News service and reports indicated delays in AI-powered Siri features [1][1][1] - Following the earnings report that showed strong iPhone and services revenue, Apple shares rose nearly 8% but subsequently fell, erasing most of those gains [1][1] Industry Context - The tech sector, including Apple and its peers, has been under pressure due to concerns about AI spending and high valuations, impacting broader market performance [1][1] - The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF, which includes major tech companies, has underperformed the S&P 500 in 2026, reflecting the challenges faced by the sector [1][1] - Concerns about overspending on AI infrastructure have also affected stocks of other major tech companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta [1][1]

The good news keeps rolling in.Previously, on February 3, Goldman Sachs maintained its Buy rating and $330 price target on Apple Inc., highlighting favorable App Store spending trends. The firm noted the company’s App Store spending acceleration of approximately 7% YoY in January 2026, relative to the 6% growth in December last year. While Entertainment grew 7% (from 3% to 10%), the Games division declined 3% YoY.Goldman Sachs believes that App Store spending will continue to be a meaningful growth catalyst ...

The company's filing of its fourth-quarter equity holdings is expected Tuesday. ...

With a market capitalization approaching $4 trillion, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) is an absolute dominator among technology gadget producers. ...

Market Performance - The three major US stock indices experienced fluctuations, with the Dow Jones down 0.03%, Nasdaq down 0.31%, and S&P 500 down 0.03% as of the report [1] - The "Big Seven" tech stocks, including Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta, all saw declines, with Nvidia dropping nearly 2% and other stocks falling within 1% [2][3] Sector Analysis - The storage sector, which had previously surged, also declined, with SanDisk down over 3% and Micron down over 1% [2] - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell by 0.34%, indicating a downturn in Chinese stocks listed in the US [4] Economic Indicators - The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.4% year-on-year in January, lower than December's 2.7%, with core CPI (excluding food and energy) rising by 2.5%, aligning with economists' expectations [6] - The January CPI increased by 0.2% month-on-month, while core CPI rose by 0.3%, both slightly below market expectations [6][8] - Despite some price increases in categories like clothing and airfare, the overall moderation in price growth is seen as a positive sign for the US economy [6] Inflation Insights - Food prices increased by 0.2%, with five out of six major grocery categories experiencing price hikes, while energy prices fell by 1.5% [7] - The automotive market showed weakness, with new car prices rising only 0.1% and used car prices dropping by 1.8% [8] - Following the inflation data release, traders adjusted their expectations for interest rate cuts, now anticipating a total of 63 basis points of cuts this year [8]