Market Overview - US equity futures are lower as traders assess the potential market impact of war with Iran and await significant US economic data including GDP and core PCE [1] - The S&P and Nasdaq futures are down 0.1% after trading positively overnight, with the "Magnificent Seven" stocks showing mixed performance [3] - Bond yields have reversed and are lower, while the USD remains flat; commodities show mixed results with base metals declining and precious metals, particularly gold, rallying above $5000 [1][11] Company Earnings and Stock Movements - Akamai Technologies (AKAM) shares fell 11% after a weaker-than-expected earnings outlook [3] - Ardelyx (ARDX) dropped 6% due to a softer sales forecast for its Ibsrela drug [3] - Copart (CPRT) fell 8% after reporting operating income that missed analyst estimates [3] - Floor & Decor (FND) rose 4% after exceeding earnings expectations for the fourth quarter [3] - Grail (GRAL) tumbled 47% after its cancer detection test failed to meet primary endpoints [3] - Harmonic (HLIT) increased by 9% due to strong book-to-bill ratios indicating growth potential [3] - Newmont (NEM) dropped 4% as it expects lower gold production this year [3] - Opendoor Technologies (OPEN) surged 19% after reporting better-than-expected revenue [3] - RingCentral (RNG) rose 10% after beating expectations and providing a positive forecast [3] - Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) increased by 4% as it anticipates positive sales growth [3] - Workiva Inc. (WK) gained 12% after reporting strong fourth-quarter results and optimistic forecasts [3] Economic Data and Inflation - Core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) data is expected to show an increase, which may influence interest rate decisions and the economic outlook [4] - Bloomberg Economics anticipates core inflation to accelerate, with a month-on-month increase of 0.32% in the core PCE deflator for December, raising the annual rate to 2.9% from 2.8% [4] - Wider inflation concerns are heightened by oil prices nearing a six-month high amid geopolitical tensions [5][6] Geopolitical Impact - The US military is deploying forces in the Middle East, with President Trump warning Iran of a limited strike if negotiations do not progress [6][35] - Geopolitical tensions have led to a cautious market sentiment, impacting stock performance and investor behavior [6][39]

Group 1 - Proactive Investors provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The company specializes in medium and small-cap markets while also covering blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive's news team delivers insights across various sectors including biotech, pharma, mining, natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging technologies [3] Group 2 - Proactive has a history of adopting technology to enhance workflows, utilizing decades of expertise from its content creators [4] - The company employs automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [5]

Economic Data - The personal consumption expenditures price index report, a key inflation gauge for the Federal Reserve, is set to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET, along with GDP, consumer spending, and income data [2] - The U.S. trade deficit for 2025 was reported at $901.5 billion, reflecting a 0.2% decrease from the previous year despite the implementation of broad tariffs [3] Retail Sector - Amazon has surpassed Walmart in quarterly revenue for the first time, reporting $187.8 billion in sales for the fourth quarter, compared to Walmart's $180.5 billion [4][5] - Bath & Body Works has launched an authorized storefront on Amazon, expanding its reach beyond its physical stores [6] Housing and Employment Trends - In Silicon Valley, the number of individuals living in RVs has increased significantly, with the share of those sleeping in cars rising from 18% in 2019 to 37% last year [8][9] - The wage gap between job hoppers and those staying in their positions has narrowed to below 2 percentage points, down from a peak of 8.4 points in April 2022, indicating a shift in job market dynamics [10][11]

The Labor Department’s report on Thursday showed that the number of Americans filing for initial jobless claims in the past week fell by -23K to 206K, compared with the 223K expected. Also, the U.S. Philly Fed manufacturing index rose to a 5-month high of 16.3 in February, stronger than expectations of 7.5. At the same time, the U.S. December trade deficit widened to -$70.3 billion, weaker than expectations of -$55.5 billion. In addition, U.S. pending home sales unexpectedly fell -0.8% m/m in January, weake ...

So for now, the gold price is effectively in limbo, with traders looking to see what the next set of US economic data really says before deciding which way to bet.Fed Signals No Rush on Rate Cuts as US Job Market Remains StrongIt’s worth remembering that the Federal Reserve minutes from their January meeting made it pretty clear that the central bank is under no pressure to slash interest rates anytime soon. In fact, some officials were even talking up the possibility of raising rates again if inflation doe ...

Premarket Activity and Futures OutlookU.S. stock futures are showing signs of resilience on Friday morning, February 20th, 2026, as investors prepare for a heavy day of economic data. Following a volatile session on Thursday that saw major benchmarks retreat, futures tied to the S&P 500 (SPY) are up 0.24%, while Nasdaq 100 futures have advanced 0.35%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA) futures are also trending higher, gaining approximately 0.16% in early trading. This cautious optimism comes as market ...

Treasuries fell as investors braced for key US inflation data, capping a week shaped by hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve and tensions between the US and Iran that sent oil prices higher. Yields on two-year bonds — more sensitive to changes in monetary policy — rose two basis points to 3.47%, while those on the 10-year ticked one basis point higher to 4.07%. Most Read from Bloomberg The small moves suggest traders are reluctant to make large bets ahead of the release of PCE data — the Federal Re ...

UK private sector activity rises in February despite ongoing job losses: S&P Global Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock UK private sector output expanded in February, according to the latest data from S&P Global reported. The Flash UK PMI Composite Output Index rose to 53.9, up from 53.7 in January, marking a 22-month high. Manufacturing output strengthened to 53.6 from 51.6 in January, a 17-month high. Services output eased slightly to 53.9 from 54.0, a 2-month low. New orders increased fo ...

Group 1: Oil Market Dynamics - Oil prices rose to a six-month high, with benchmark Brent increasing by 0.5% to $72 a barrel, marking a weekly gain of over 6% [1] - The rise in oil prices is influenced by escalating tensions in Iran and the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, which could impact oil supply from a region that produces about a third of the world's oil [5][6] Group 2: Stock Market Reactions - Asian shares dropped by 0.4%, following declines on Wall Street, while U.S. and European equity-index futures showed a slight increase of 0.3%, indicating potential stabilization in sentiment [2] - Wall Street experienced declines, particularly among alternative asset managers, after Blue Owl Capital Inc. restricted withdrawals from one of its funds [6] Group 3: Geopolitical Risks and Economic Indicators - The U.S. military's actions in the Middle East introduce new geopolitical risks, halting a tentative recovery in equities and dampening risk appetite [3] - Traders are closely monitoring upcoming U.S. economic and inflation data, especially after recent Federal Reserve meeting minutes raised concerns about price pressures [7] Group 4: Currency Movements - The U.S. dollar is on track for its best week in four months, driven by reduced expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and increased demand for safe-haven assets due to geopolitical risks [8] - The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose by 0.9% this week, marking its largest gain since October, influenced by heightened inflation concerns and the military buildup in the Persian Gulf [9]

Core Viewpoint - The personal-consumption expenditures (PCE) price index for December is anticipated, which is a key indicator of inflation trends in the economy [1] Group 1: Economic Indicators - The PCE price index is a critical measure used by the Federal Reserve to gauge inflation and adjust monetary policy accordingly [1] - December's PCE data will provide insights into consumer spending patterns and overall economic health [1]