S&P 500 and Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Kinross Gold Surges on Post-Close Earnings Beat

U.S. equity markets reached new milestones on Wednesday, February 18th, 2026, as investors shrugged off lingering inflation concerns to push major indexes to all-time closing highs. The session was characterized by a robust "risk-on" appetite, primarily driven by a resurgence in the technology sector and a series of positive earnings surprises from the industrial and utility sectors. As the trading day concluded at 4:00 PM ET, the focus immediately shifted to the after-hours market, where significant corpor ...