Stocks ended a choppy four-session run in the green, with tech-led momentum earlier in the week prevailing over news of a slowing economy, sticky inflation, and geopolitical tensions.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 1.07 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rallied 1.51 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.25 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 0.75 percent.^1,2

Focus on Tech

Stocks kicked off the shortened trading week with a yawn as continuing investor angst over AI disruption in the software industry kept gains modest.³

But tech-led market momentum picked up—including gains from lesser-known names—as investors digested minutes from the Fed's January meeting.⁴

Stocks then came under pressure as investors fretted over geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and concerns about private credit in the financial sector.⁵

Markets rallied on Friday after the Supreme Court struck down the White House tariffs. The news overshadowed a sticky inflation report and a disappointing update on Q4 gross domestic product (GDP), which was hurt by federal spending during the government shutdown.⁶

Friday Focus

All week, the markets were eyeing the Friday economic updates and were a bit surprised at the timing of the tariff news.

GDP rose 1.4 percent in Q4, lower than the 2.5 percent expected and slower than the 4.4 percent pace in Q3. The slowdown reflected declines in federal and consumer spending.⁷

While the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs had been expected, the news still took investors by surprise when it arrived on Friday. The decision was widely expected, but the timing of the news was uncertain. Investors appeared to welcome the news, as companies may have greater pricing flexibility without tariffs. 

This Week: Key Economic Data

Monday: Factory Orders (Dec). Fed Governor Christopher Waller speaks.

Tuesday: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (Dec). Fed Presidents Austan Goolsbee (Chicago) and Raphael Bostic (Atlanta) speak. Fed Governors Waller and Lisa Cook speak. Wholesale Inventories (Dec). Consumer Confidence.

Wednesday: Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin speaks.

Thursday: Weekly Jobless Claims.

Friday: Producer Price Index (Jan). Construction Spending (Nov, Dec).

^{Source: Investors Business Daily - Econoday economic calendar; February 20, 2026. The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to provide accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts are also subject to revision.}

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Tuesday: The Home Depot, Inc. (HD). Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG). American Tower Corporation (AMT).

Wednesday: NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA). Salesforce, Inc. (CRM). The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX). Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (LOW). Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS).

Thursday: Intuit Inc. (INTU). Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST). Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL). Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD).

Friday: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A / BRK.B).

^{Source: Zacks, February 20, 2026. Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule their earnings reports without notice.}

"I'm not embarrassed anymore about anything that people, that human beings are going through."

– Mary J. Blige

Owe the IRS Money? Here’s How to Pay

If you owe federal taxes, you may be required to pay by the April deadline. Remember, if you get an extension to file your taxes, payment is still due by the April deadline. You can set up a payment plan if you can’t pay the full amount you owe now.
Here are some choices for making your payment:

• Use Direct Pay: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct Pay is a free and secure way to pay directly from your checking or savings account.
• Pay by Debit or Credit Card: If you don’t want to link a bank account, you can use your credit or debit card. Remember that you’ll have to pay a processing fee and may incur interest charges.
• Pay When You E-File: If you file your federal tax return electronically, you can pay directly from your bank account using Electronic Funds Withdrawal.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁸

Eating To Your Heart’s Content

Deciding to change your diet can feel daunting. It can be challenging to figure out which one is “best” for you. Many fad diets come and go, but a few have stuck around, the most popular being the Mediterranean diet. 

The Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle shift toward healthier eating patterns. Modeled after principles of Italian and Greek cuisine, which have remained relatively unchanged since the 1960s, this diet may lead to lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. The diet emphasizes eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, whole grains, olive oil, and fewer meats and dairy products. The diet is flexible. Restriction isn’t the intent; rather, it's about favoring more nutrient-rich foods over energy-dense ones. 

Food is life, and healthy choices can help support a healthier life. While the Mediterranean diet could be a good option, no single diet will fit everyone’s lifestyle, preferences, and health needs. Discuss your dietary choices with your physician or registered dietitian first. 

Tip adapted Mayo Clinic⁹

Brothers and sisters, I have none, but this man's father is my father's son. Who am I talking about?     

Last Week's Riddle: Olivia throws a softball as hard as she can, and even though it doesn’t touch anything and nobody touches it, the softball comes right back to her. How is this possible?

Answer: She throws it straight up in the air.

Piz Bernina

Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Stocks fell last week as investors reacted to mixed economic data and concerns over signs of broadening AI disruption of business models.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.39 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 2.10 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.23 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 1.92 percent.^1,2

AI Disruption Fears 

Big tech started last week back in the driver’s seat, leading the Nasdaq and S&P 500 to modest gains as investors appeared cautiously optimistic about the economy and Q4 corporate reports.³

Stocks slid modestly on Tuesday after December retail sales were flat, sparking some anxiety about the economy. Investors also fretted about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on financial stocks.⁴

A stronger-than-expected jobs report initially sparked a rally midweek, but momentum quickly faded as investors dug deeper into the numbers.

Stocks then came under pressure as AI disruption fears spread across several industry groups. Traders worried that AI would disrupt certain business models and possibly increase unemployment.⁵

Markets rebounded following Friday’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading, which gave investors another economic data point to cheer as the pace of inflation slowed in January.⁶

Good News, Bad News

Investors focused on three key economic reports out last week: retail sales, jobs, and inflation. Here are the key good news/bad news takeaways from each report:

Retail sales: Consumer spending was flat in December, below expectations and below November’s 0.6 percent growth. Good news: Given that two-thirds of the economy runs on consumer spending, the Fed may reconsider its wait-and-see stance on raising rates.⁷

Employment: January job growth was mostly concentrated in a single sector. Plus, downward revisions showed employers only added 181,000 jobs last year—70 percent fewer than initially thought. There was essentially no job growth in the back half of 2025. Good news: January job growth was more than double what economists expected—the biggest gain in over a year. The unemployment rate also edged down.⁸

Inflation: Inflation was cooler-than-expected but remains above the Fed’s target. Good news: The CPI’s 2.4 percent year-over-year growth in January marked a drop from December’s 2.7 percent annual pace.⁹

This Week: Key Economic Data

Monday: Markets closed for Presidents’ Day

Tuesday: Empire State Manufacturing Survey

Wednesday: Housing Starts (Nov., Dec.). Building Permits (Nov., Dec.). Durable Goods (Dec.). Trade Balance in Goods (Dec.). Retail Inventories (Dec.). Wholesale Inventories (Dec.). Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Notes (Jan.).

Thursday: Weekly Jobless Claims. Trade Deficit (Dec.). Pending Home Sales. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari speaks.

Friday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Q4. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index (Dec.). New Home Sales (Nov., Dec.). Consumer Sentiment.

^{Source: Investors Business Daily - Econoday economic calendar: February 13, 2026. The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to provide accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts are also subject to revision.}

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Tuesday: Medtronic (MDT), Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW), Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG), Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS)

Wednesday: Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG), Carvana Co. (CVNA), DoorDash, Inc. (DASH), Moody’s Corporation (MCO)

Thursday: Walmart Inc. (WMT), Deere & Company (DE), Newmont Corporation (NEM), The Southern Company (SO)

^{Source: Zacks, February 13, 2026. Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule their earnings reports without notice.}

"I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own, and I know that I’m strong enough to mend."

– Mariah Carey

Be On Alert for IRS Scams

The Internal Revenue Service is on a constant lookout for tax-related scams. In most cases, “phishing” scams are bogus phone calls and emails that claim to come from the IRS. 
Remember, the IRS will never:

• Call you without mailing an official notice first.
• Demand that you immediately pay your taxes over the phone.
• Take a debit or credit card number over the phone.
• Threaten to call law enforcement or immigration services to arrest you for failure to pay.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov¹⁰

Loving Yourself First

The rise of self-care over the past decade has brought attention to the concept of loving oneself – the basic philosophy behind it being that if we love and take care of ourselves with intention, the happier and healthier we’ll be, and all the people in our lives will benefit. 

Loving ourselves isn’t always easy. And it doesn’t mean always being overly indulgent, but rather making choices that help support our overall well-being. For some people, that may look like taking time to relax if they have a lot of stress. For others, it can be making a to-do list to organize and accomplish tasks if they tend toward procrastination. It can also mean being more self-aware and cheering ourselves on if we’re often overly harsh or being more introspective and searching for ways to improve if we are myopic about our shortcomings. All these things and many more not mentioned are intentional actions we can take to be our best selves.

Take some time to reflect on the ones you love. Just make sure you don’t forget about the one you should love the most.

Tip adapted from Everyday Health¹¹

Olivia throws a softball as hard as she can, and even though it doesn’t touch anything and nobody touches it, the softball comes right back to her. How is this possible? 

Last Week's Riddle: It can be less thick than your finger when it folds, yet as thick as what it carries when it holds. What is it?

Answer: A sack.

The Milford Sound fiord

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

• Money earned through this work may be taxable
• There are tax implications for both the company providing the platform and the individual performing the services

• Manage your blood pressure: Check it regularly. Hypertension is often asymptomatic
• Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of disease
• Eat well and exercise: These two activities are associated with a lower incidence of heart disease
• Drink less alcohol and don’t smoke: These habits are seen more frequently in heart disease patients
• Sleep well and reduce stress: Lower cortisol levels may reduce your risk for heart disease