February 23, 2026
On Monday, U.S. stocks closed higher with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.5%, the Nasdaq Composite gaining 0.9%, and the S&P 500 rising 0.7% according to Yahoo Finance, explaining that the increase was due to the Supreme Court’s ruling that limited President Trump’s authority regarding tariffs. The Supreme Court agreed that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, but CNBC writes that the U.S. economy could suffer since the President imposed new tariffs immediately which heightened global tensions. On Friday the 20th, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2025 was 1.4%, largely due to consumer spending and investment;Yahoo Finance, however, notes that the consensus estimate was 2.9%.
February 24, 2026
On Tuesday, U.S. stocks rose higher marking a recovery from the AI sale in previous weeks. CNBC reported that S&P rose 0.77%, the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.04%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.76%. Crediting these gains to the increase in software stocks and Advanced Micro Devices, CNBC explained that the economy saw an 8.8% climb after announcing a multi-year deal with Meta Platforms. Reuters reported that U.S. consumer confidence was higher in February with the Consumer Confidence Index rising 2.2 points, although they note that the job market is still a place of worry for many Americans who view jobs as hard to get. Many consumers are looking to President Trump’s State of the Union Address; Reuters explained that many are unhappy with his impact on the economy, especially with new economic measures such as tariffs and inflation. Additionally, the New York Times detailed that previous tariffs unaffected by the Supreme Court’s ruling raise input costs for many U.S. Manufacturers that rely on steel, limiting their exports and employment.
February 25, 2026
On Wednesday, stock indexes rose supported by AI stocks. The S&P 500 added 0.81%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.26%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.63% according to CNBC. The Wall Street Journal reported that one of these AI stocks was NVIDIA, which was up 1.4% as they were releasing their earnings report at the market’s close. The Wall Street Journal also reported that NVIDIA’s earnings, released after the market closed, eased concerns that the AI industry is a bubble after the company posted record sales and income. In the entertainment industry, Netflix surged 5.98% after reports of a bidding war between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance, detailed Yahoo Finance. The bidding war was described as heated, given that Warner Bros. Discovery will consider both offers. According to the U.S. News and World Report, the International Monetary Fund views the U.S. economy as “buoyant,” predicting accelerated growth and lower unemployment, however budget debts and tariffs could pose a risk.
February 26, 2026
The stock market was generally down on Thursday despite earnings reports from NVIDIA and Salesforce. The S&P 500 fell 0.54%, the Nasdaq Composite was down 1.18%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.03%, according to CNBC. NVIDIA and Salesforce were reportedly not enough to boost the broader market, and after skepticism with the AI industry NVIDIA’s results didn’t reflect confidence in investors. CNBC noted that NVIDIA shares fell 5% which was its worst day since last April, although Salesforce rose 4% after quarterly results despite projecting a disappointing fiscal revenue forecast for 2027. Many investors remain skeptical of the bubble that is the AI industry; its value is immensely overinflated, so when earnings reports don’t satisfy investors, overall confidence in the stock drops. Paramount Skydance jumped 10% after Netflix pulled out of the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery according to CNN and Investopedia. After Netflix declined to raise its offer for Warner Bros., Paramount emerged as the winner of the months-long bidding war and is set to acquire the media empire which includes CNN and HBO.
February 27, 2026
To end February, U.S. stocks ended lower due to AI-related concerns, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1%, the S&P decreased 0.4%, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.8%, according to Yahoo Finance. Fears that AI would have consequences in various industries were reflected when Block announced it was laying off 40% of its employees because of AI; Block CEO Jack Dorsey said that many companies will follow them in the near future according to CNN. When AI first began to peak, many consumers were worried that AI would replace them in the workforce, and these fears have resurfaced, as in the last year companies such as Amazon and Meta have made cuts relating to AI, noted CNN. In terms of the macro economy, the producer price index rose 0.5% meaning wholesale inflation grew at a faster pace than the predicted 0.3% explained Yahoo Finance. On Saturday, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel is expected to publish his first annual shareholder letter after taking over from Warren Buffet wrote Yahoo Finance. Overall stock prices lowered following AI concerns and Reuters also noted that oil prices rose following the tensions between the U.S. and Iran which could upset American consumers who expected President Trump to deliver on his promise to lower gas prices.
