Daily Market News: February 18, 2026

Last updated: February 18, 2026

📰 Today’s Market Headlines

• Stock market news for Feb. 17, 2026

  Shares dropped more than 7% in afternoon trading. If that holds through Tuesday's closing bell, it would mark the stock's biggest one-day retreat since a slide of more than 11% in March 2020.

• Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for February 17 – Bloomberg

  Traders struggling to assess the outlook for artificial intelligence whipsawed stocks in another volatile session on Wall Street. Gold and silver tumbled. Bitcoin extended its February rout.

• Stock market today: Live updates

  Markets are "likely in a semi-holding pattern" ahead of the report, especially as the artificial intelligence trade becomes increasingly difficult to navigate, according to Ameriprise chief market strategist Anthony Saglimbene. On the earnings front, Booking Holdings, Carvana and DoorDash are slated to report Wednesday. … Amazon gained 1.2% on Tuesday, ending the stock's nine-day consecutive stretch of losses.

• Market Resilience Amidst AI Volatility: S&P 500 and Dow Edge Higher as Tech Sector Rebalances – Market Updates

  U.S. equity markets concluded a volatile session on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026, with major indexes managing to edge into positive territory despite significant intraday swings.

• Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for Feb. 18 – Bloomberg

  US equity-index futures edged higher along with Asian stocks as the recent selling pressure tied to artificial intelligence appeared to stabilize. Precious metals rebounded. Contracts for the S&P 500 Index rose 0.2% after the underlying gauge …

• Stock markets today: S&P 500, Nikkei and Euro Stoxx under pressure as investors weigh “SaaSpocalypse” against Geneva talks

  Executives at flagship luxury houses like LVMH and Kering have warned that a sustained AI-led market correction could weaken high-end consumer demand by eroding the perceived wealth of affluent American and Asian consumers. Shares in LVMH suffered their biggest one-day fall since 2020 late last month after CEO Bernard Arnault struck a cautious tone for the 2026 outlook, highlighting a fragile recovery path for the sector. On February 17, the German DAX 40 sits at a level of 24,764.20, down 0.46 percent as the industrials and infrastructure sectors lag.

• Markets News, Feb. 17, 2026: Stocks Eke Out Gains in Volatile Session To Start Week of Inflation, GDP Data

  Markets News, Feb. 2, 2026: Stock Indexes End Sharply Higher to Begin February; Dow Adds 515 Points, S&P 500 Just Misses Record

• Stock Market Today, Feb. 17: Amazon Stops Slide Spurred By AI Spending Fears | The Motley Fool

  Today, Feb. 17, 2026, AI spending angst rattled growth stocks even as value names quietly propped up a volatile Wall Street session.

📊 What Analysts Are Watching

• Earnings reports from major tech companies
• Federal Reserve commentary on interest rates
• Economic data releases including jobs report
• Sector rotation between growth and value

💡 What This Means For Investors

Understanding the drivers behind daily market movements helps inform longer-term investment decisions. Focus on fundamentals while monitoring sentiment shifts. Key sectors to watch today include technology, energy, and healthcare.

Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before investing.