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Today on Taking Stock | Markets Slide With Earnings and Oil in Focus

Stocks Slide as Oil Jumps on Rising US-Iran Tensions | The Close 2/19/2026

The Close highlighted a sharp equity sell‑off on Feb 19, 2026 as Brent crude surged to its highest level since July amid escalating U.S.–Iran tensions. The S&P 500 slipped about 0.6% and the Nasdaq 100 fell roughly 0.7%, while the VIX nudged back...

Inflation’s Back In America. Not That It Ever Left

The Federal Reserve’s January FOMC minutes confirm that inflation remains entrenched in the United States, contrary to earlier optimism. Core consumer‑price index rose 0.3% month‑over‑month, keeping annual inflation above the Fed’s 2% target. The minutes show policymakers acknowledging persistent price...

Government Dysfunction Torpedoes US Economic Growth

The U.S. economy grew at a 1.4% annualized rate in the fourth quarter of 2025, roughly half of analysts' expectations. This marks a sharp deceleration from the 4.4% surge recorded in the preceding quarter and is the slowest expansion since...

Thursday's Final Takeaways: Trade Deficit Narrows & Tech Rotation Continues

Beyond today's stock movers, Marley Kayden and Sam Vadas turn to the broader market perspective by discussing the narrowing trade deficit and the continuing rotation out of tech. ======== Schwab Network ======== Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe...

US Runs Annual Trade Deficit Up to $901 Billion, One of Biggest Since 1960

U.S. trade data released this week showed the annual deficit expanding to $901 billion, the widest gap since the early 1960s. After a brief narrowing in the first half of last year, imports surged in the second half, pushing the balance...

Figma's AI Outlook, Blue Owl Stokes Credit Concerns | Bloomberg Businessweek Daily 2/19/2026

Bloomberg Businessweek Daily highlighted two contrasting stories on Thursday, February 19: Figma’s AI‑driven growth trajectory and Blue Owl Capital’s liquidity curtailment in a private‑credit fund. The market backdrop featured modest equity declines, a VIX edging toward 21, and oil prices...

Stocks Slide as Oil Spikes on US–Iran Tension | Closing Bell

The closing bell showed U.S. equities slipping as oil prices spiked on renewed U.S.–Iran tensions. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq each fell roughly 0.3%, while the Russell 2000 managed a modest gain, underscoring the market’s mixed reaction to geopolitical risk. Energy‑related concerns lifted...

Figma Gains on Strong Growth Outlook that Eases AI Fears

Figma’s latest earnings call highlighted a bullish growth outlook that directly counters lingering industry anxieties about artificial‑intelligence disruptions. The company emphasized that as AI improves, its own product suite becomes more powerful, positioning the design platform to benefit rather than...

Charting DE After Earnings Send Shares to All-Time High

Agriculture companies have taken a much bigger investor focus to start 2026, and no company may have muscled more gains than Deere & Co. (DE). Shares of the company have climbed more than 40% in the last few weeks, helped...

Amazon Dethrones Walmart

The video highlights that Amazon finally eclipsed Walmart in total sales for 2025, reporting $717 billion versus Walmart’s $713.2 billion, cementing a shift from the traditional Walmart‑Target rivalry to a direct Amazon‑Walmart showdown. Analysts note Walmart’s strategic pivot toward technology: a $40 billion free‑cash‑flow...