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]

Economic Indicators - The number of Americans filing for initial jobless claims fell by 23,000 to 206,000, compared to the expected 223,000 [1] - The U.S. Philly Fed manufacturing index rose to a 5-month high of 16.3 in February, exceeding expectations of 7.5 [1] - The U.S. December trade deficit widened to $70.3 billion, worse than the expected $55.5 billion [1] - U.S. pending home sales unexpectedly fell by 0.8% month-over-month in January, contrary to expectations of a 1.4% increase [1] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's major indexes ended in the red, with EPAM Systems dropping over 17% after issuing soft FY26 revenue growth guidance [2] - Chip stocks, including Microchip Technology and Texas Instruments, slid more than 2% [2] - Booking Holdings slumped over 6% after posting weaker-than-expected Q4 EPS [2] - Omnicom Group jumped over 15% after reporting better-than-expected Q4 revenue [2] Federal Reserve Insights - Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari indicated that interest rates are likely near "neutral" [5] - San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly stated that monetary policy is "in a good place" [5] - U.S. rate futures show a 94% probability of no rate change and a 6% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the next central bank meeting in March [5] European Market Developments - The Euro Stoxx 50 Index rose by 0.47% due to stronger-than-expected PMI data from the region [8] - Luxury stocks outperformed, with Moncler Spa jumping over 12% after reporting better-than-expected Q4 revenue [8] - Eurozone business activity grew faster than expected in February, driven by a rebound in manufacturing [8] Corporate Earnings and Forecasts - Siegfried Holding AG slumped over 8% after posting weaker-than-expected annual revenue [9] - Opendoor Technologies jumped over 18% in pre-market trading after better-than-expected Q4 revenue [14] - Akamai Technologies plunged over 10% after issuing below-consensus Q1 and FY26 adjusted EPS guidance [15]

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 ...

Market Overview - U.S. stock indexes declined on February 19th, 2026, influenced by hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East [1] - The S&P 500 fell approximately 0.56% to 6,843.00, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped about 189 points (0.38%) to near 49,473, and the Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.60% to 22,621.38 [2] Economic Data and Federal Reserve - The FOMC minutes indicated that most policymakers are concerned about the pace of disinflation, contributing to a hawkish market sentiment [3] - Initial jobless claims decreased by 23,000 to 206,000, lower than the expected 225,000, indicating a strong labor market [3] - Industrial production for January increased by 0.7%, exceeding the consensus estimate of 0.3%, raising concerns about persistent inflation [4] - Crude oil prices rose by 2.6% to $66.71 per barrel, influenced by tensions between the U.S. and Iran, while the 10-year Treasury yield increased to 4.08% [4] Corporate News and Earnings Highlights - Walmart reported fourth-quarter revenue of $190.7 billion, beating expectations, but provided a disappointing full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $2.75 to $2.85, below the $2.96 forecasted by analysts [5] - Deere & Co saw a 7% increase in stock price after reporting higher-than-expected profits and raising its full-year guidance due to recovering demand [6] - Etsy's shares surged 21% following a fourth-quarter earnings beat, marking a positive turnaround for the year [6] - Booking Holdings dropped 7.1% amid competition concerns despite a profit beat, while Avis Budget Group plummeted 23% after a significant earnings miss [7] - Carvana's stock slid 8% after disappointing quarterly results, and major tech companies like Nvidia and Meta Platforms experienced declines of approximately 0.5% [7] Upcoming Events - A significant number of earnings reports are expected after the market close, including those from Newmont, Consolidated Edison, and Live Nation Entertainment [8] - Investors will also be monitoring results from Texas Roadhouse and Sprouts Farmers Market for insights into consumer health [8] Trade Deficit and Geopolitical Concerns - The U.S. trade deficit widened to $70.3 billion in December, which will be a focus for market participants [9] - Ongoing developments regarding potential military action in the Middle East are contributing to current volatility in energy markets [9]

Gold hovered around $5,000 an ounce as traders assessed the latest flareup in geopolitics and the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. President Donald Trump said the US has to “make a meaningful deal” with Iran, adding that the next 10 days will tell whether there will be an accord. Iran is a “hot spot” right now even as officials from both sides engage in “good talks,” Trump said. He also said his son-in-law Jared Kushner will be an “envoy of peace.” Most Read from Bloomberg The US military ...

Market Overview - Stocks initially moved to the downside but regained some ground during the trading day, with the Nasdaq briefly reaching positive territory. Currently, major averages are posting modest losses: Dow down 194.05 points (0.4%) at 49,468.61, S&P 500 down 17.09 points (0.3%) at 6,864.22, and Nasdaq down 41.09 points (0.2%) at 22,712.54 [1] Company News - Walmart reported fourth quarter results that exceeded analyst estimates but provided weaker than expected earnings guidance for the current year. Despite notable pre-market weakness, Walmart's stock increased by 1.3% during regular trading [2] Economic Indicators - The Labor Department reported that first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell significantly to 206,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised level of 229,000, which was better than the expected drop to 225,000 [4] - A report from the Commerce Department indicated that the U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly widened in December due to a surge in imports and a slump in exports [5] Sector Performance - Airline stocks experienced a substantial decline, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index dropping by 3.6%. Biotechnology stocks also showed weakness, reflected by a 1.7% loss in the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index. Conversely, computer hardware stocks performed well, driving the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index up by 2.4% [6] - Gold stocks performed strongly, resulting in a 1.9% increase in the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index [7] International Markets - In overseas trading, stocks in the Asia-Pacific region mostly moved higher, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index climbing by 0.6% and South Korea's Kospi surging by 3.1%. However, major European markets moved to the downside, with the German DAX Index down by 0.9%, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index down by 0.6%, and the French CAC 40 Index down by 0.5% [8]

Group 1: Company Overview - Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) has experienced a 30% decline in value over the past year due to high interest rates and challenging office market conditions [1] - The company primarily focuses on office properties within a diversified real estate portfolio that also includes retail and residential properties located in major cities like New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco [4] Group 2: Market Conditions - The office market has faced significant pressure since the pandemic, driven by the rise of remote and hybrid work, leading to uncertainty in demand for office space [5] - Recent reports indicate a recovery in the office market, with leasing activity in Q4 reaching a post-pandemic high and annual leasing activity increasing by 5.2% [5] - Large-scale transactions in the office sector have risen by 15% year over year, indicating growing confidence among companies in committing to office space [5] - U.S. office sales volume has increased for seven consecutive quarters, reflecting heightened investor confidence in purchasing office properties [5] - The pipeline for new office constructions is trending down towards a record low, suggesting a potential shift towards a new growth cycle in the office sector according to JLL [5] Group 3: Interest Rate Impact - REITs, including Vornado, are highly sensitive to interest rate changes, with higher rates increasing borrowing costs and reducing cash flows, while lower rates can enhance their value by decreasing borrowing costs [2] - Although short-term interest rates have fallen due to Federal Reserve actions, longer-term rates, such as the 10-year Treasury, have not decreased as significantly, which has a greater impact on REIT values [3] - A meaningful decline in long-term interest rates, particularly if inflation dips below 2%, could positively influence Vornado's share price [3]

Why the Fed could deliver one final sting to your portfolio before Powell's exit in May - MarketWatch## Mark Hulbert# Why the Fed could deliver one final sting to your portfolio before Powell's exit in May## Interest rates typically go up when a Fed chair steps downPublished: Feb. 19, 2026 at 7:46 a.m. ETShareResize- --Listen(4 min)Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is in his final three months at the head of the U.S. central bank. Photo: AFP/Getty ImagesIt's possible that U.S. interest rates will be highe ...

Valued at a market cap of $21.6 billion, SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates wireless communications infrastructure, primarily cell towers, leased to mobile network operators. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, the company generates recurring revenue by renting antenna space on its towers and related sites to carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile under long-term contracts with built-in escalators. This specialty REIT has consider ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the current state of money market accounts (MMAs) and highlights the importance of earning competitive rates on savings as interest rates decline following recent Federal Reserve rate cuts [1][4]. Group 1: Current MMA Rates - The national average interest rate for money market accounts is 0.56%, but top rates can exceed 4% APY, comparable to high-yield savings accounts [3][9]. - Some banks are offering MMA rates above 4%, with a general cap around 4.5% [9]. Group 2: Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - The Federal Reserve maintained a target range for the federal funds rate of 5.25%–5.50% from July 2023 to September 2024, but has since implemented three rate cuts, bringing the current rate to 3.50%–3.75% [4][5]. - The decline in deposit account rates suggests that savers may have limited time to take advantage of higher MMA rates [5]. Group 3: Considerations for Savers - Money market accounts provide liquidity and safety, making them suitable for savers who need easy access to funds while earning better returns than traditional savings accounts [6][8]. - They are particularly appealing for conservative savers due to FDIC insurance, which protects principal [8]. - For those with short-term savings goals or emergency funds, MMAs offer a safer option with competitive yields [8].