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US Stock Market Sector Analysis – Thursday, February 19, 2026 MIXED

Today, the US stock market is experiencing a mixed session as the S&P 500 struggles to find direction amidst earnings reports and sector performance. Notably, Walmart (WMT) reported an EPS of $0.74, surpassing estimates of $0.73, leading to a positive response in retail stocks. Conversely, Southern Co (SO) missed expectations with an EPS of $0.55 versus the estimated $0.59, adding pressure to the utilities sector. Overall, 8 sectors are up while 12 are down, with the infrastructure sector leading with a 3.4% increase.

Sector Performance (Base=100)

Today's Market Events

Key Headlines

  • Uncover the latest developments among S&P500 stocks in today's session. ChartMill
  • What's going on in today's session: S&P500 most active stocks ChartMill
  • Booking (BKNG) Booking Holdings Announces a Massive 25-for-1 Stock Split. Here's What Investors Need to Know Yahoo
  • Booking (BKNG) Booking Approves 25-for-1 Split After 16,831% Stock Surge Yahoo
  • United (UAL) United Airlines rewards program, Coors-maker's weak outlook Yahoo
  • Delta (DAL) Why Delta (DAL) Stock Is Down Today Yahoo
  • This is the sobering way most Americans plan to use their tax refunds this year MarketWatch
  • Nvidia options are priced for a perfect earnings outlook. These are your smarter trades. MarketWatch

Earnings Releases

  • Southern Co (SO) EPS: $0.55 vs est $0.59 (miss)
  • Walmart (WMT) EPS: $0.74 vs est $0.73 (beat)

AI and Technology Sector Analysis

The AI and technology investment theme remains cautious today as the Magnificent 7 underperforms, with stocks like Apple (AAPL) down 1.4% and Microsoft (MSFT) down 0.3%. The chip supply chain saw a slight uptick with AMD rising 1.6% to $203.37, but the overall sector is below its 50-day moving average, reflecting ongoing challenges. Infrastructure investments, particularly in data centers, continue to attract interest with stocks in this area showing strong performance.

US Stock Sector Overview

Sector 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA
Mag 7 (AI Spenders) -0.2% -0.3% -4.9% BELOW
Chip Supply Chain +0.0% +0.9% -2.6% BELOW
Infrastructure +3.4% +4.7% +11.6% ABOVE
Enterprise Software -0.9% +1.8% -16.9% BELOW
Finance -1.0% +1.6% -1.3% BELOW
Healthcare +0.4% +0.3% -12.1% BELOW
Retail -1.1% -3.8% +3.7% ABOVE
IT Services -2.8% -2.2% -18.6% BELOW
Airlines -5.5% -1.1% -1.3% BELOW
Hospitality & Travel -3.9% -2.6% -6.7% BELOW
Food & Restaurant -0.1% -0.9% +3.4% ABOVE
Logistics -0.2% +1.5% +14.7% ABOVE
Industrial +0.5% +0.3% +12.7% ABOVE
Cybersecurity -0.4% -1.9% -14.3% BELOW
Chip Equipment -0.5% +6.3% +9.4% ABOVE
Data Center REITs -0.1% -3.0% +13.6% ABOVE
Utilities +1.9% +1.4% +7.9% ABOVE
Energy +0.3% +1.5% +11.9% ABOVE
Defense & Aerospace +1.4% +3.6% +4.6% ABOVE
Telecom +0.7% -1.5% +19.2% ABOVE
Media & Entertainment -1.1% +2.5% -7.1% BELOW
Biotech -1.1% +1.4% +11.7% ABOVE
Materials +0.2% -0.0% +8.1% ABOVE

Sector Strength

Infrastructure +3.4% 20d: +11.6%
Super Micro (SMCI) +8.2% (20d: -0.9%), Dell (DELL) +2.0% (20d: +1.6%) [<50MA], Vertiv (VRT) -0.1% (20d: +34.2%)
Utilities +1.9% 20d: +7.9%
Southern Co (SO) +4.4% (20d: +8.6%), Duke Energy (DUK) +0.9% (20d: +7.4%), NextEra Energy (NEE) +0.5% (20d: +7.7%)
Defense & Aerospace +1.4% 20d: +4.6%
Lockheed Martin (LMT) +2.6% (20d: +12.2%), General Dynamics (GD) +1.4% (20d: -3.1%), RTX Corp (RTX) +0.3% (20d: +4.6%)
Telecom +0.7% 20d: +19.2%
Verizon (VZ) +1.2% (20d: +23.2%), T-Mobile (TMUS) +1.0% (20d: +16.1%), AT&T (T) +0.0% (20d: +18.2%)
Industrial +0.5% 20d: +12.7%
Caterpillar (CAT) +1.1% (20d: +17.3%), Honeywell (HON) -0.2% (20d: +8.2%)

Sector Warnings

Airlines -5.5% 20d: -1.3%
United (UAL) -5.9% (20d: -0.3%) [<50MA], Delta (DAL) -5.2% (20d: -2.2%) [<50MA]
Hospitality & Travel -3.9% 20d: -6.7%
Booking (BKNG) -6.1% (20d: -22.2%) [<50MA], Marriott (MAR) -1.7% (20d: +8.8%)
IT Services -2.8% 20d: -18.6% CRITICAL
Accenture (ACN) -3.9% (20d: -24.6%) [<50MA], IBM -1.7% (20d: -12.5%) [<50MA]
Media & Entertainment -1.1% 20d: -7.1%
Netflix (NFLX) -1.3% (20d: -7.8%) [<50MA], Disney (DIS) -1.0% (20d: -6.4%) [<50MA]
Retail -1.1% 20d: +3.7%
Walmart (WMT) -1.4% (20d: +6.0%), Costco (COST) -0.8% (20d: +1.3%)

Sector Deep Dive

The infrastructure sector has shown remarkable strength today, gaining 3.4% as investors flock to stocks like Super Micro (SMCI), which soared 8.2% to $32.16, and Dell (DELL), up 2.0% at $119.06. This sector has outperformed significantly over the past 20 days, with an 11.6% increase, indicating robust demand for infrastructure-related investments amid a shifting economic landscape.

Utilities are also in focus, with Southern Co (SO) gaining 4.4% today despite an earnings miss. The stock now trades at $95.05. Despite the miss, the sector has shown resilience, maintaining a 7.9% increase over 20 days, and remaining above its 50-day moving average. This suggests a stable outlook for utility stocks as investors seek reliable returns.

In the chip supply chain, the performance remains lackluster, with the sector seeing only marginal gains today. AMD's 1.6% rise to $203.37 is a bright spot, but overall, the chip supply chain continues to struggle below its 50-day moving average, reflecting ongoing supply chain issues and market uncertainties. This sector's underperformance adds to the growing concerns around technology investments.

The airlines sector is facing significant headwinds, with both Delta (DAL) and United Airlines (UAL) seeing declines of 5.2% and 5.9%, respectively. Delta's stock is currently at $67.44, while United is at $110.05. This downturn is indicative of broader challenges within the sector, including weak outlooks and economic pressures, contributing to its status below the 50-day moving average.

Market Breadth Analysis

US stock market breadth analysis shows 13 of 23 sectors trading above their 50-day moving average, while 10 are below. The majority of sectors holding above the 50-day MA indicates healthy medium-term momentum. With 13 sectors positive over 20 days, buying pressure remains broad-based.

Interactive Charts

S&P 500 & NASDAQ 100

20-Day Sector Performance

1-Day vs 5-Day Sector Change

Active Alerts

HIGH Enterprise Software down -16.9% over 20 days
HIGH Healthcare down -12.1% over 20 days
HIGH IT Services down -18.6% over 20 days
HIGH Cybersecurity down -14.3% over 20 days
HIGH 6 sectors declining >5% over 20 days: Enterprise Software, Healthcare, IT Services, Hospitality & Travel, Cybersecurity, Media & Entertainment
MEDIUM MSFT down -17.3% from 20-day high
MEDIUM AMZN down -16.3% from 20-day high

Stock-Level Detail

Mag 7 (AI Spenders) Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
META $644.78 +0.2% -0.8% -0.4% BELOW 0
TSLA $411.71 +0.1% -1.3% -8.4% BELOW 0
AMZN $204.86 +0.0% +2.6% -12.6% BELOW 0
NVDA $187.90 -0.0% +0.5% +1.7% ABOVE 1
GOOG $303.56 -0.1% -1.9% -8.2% BELOW 1
MSFT $398.46 -0.3% -0.8% -11.7% BELOW 1
AAPL $260.58 -1.4% -0.4% +5.0% BELOW 1
Chip Supply Chain Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
AMD $203.37 +1.6% -1.2% -19.8% BELOW 0
MRVL $79.61 +0.7% +1.8% -4.2% BELOW 0
AVGO $333.99 +0.1% +0.9% +2.6% BELOW 0
ARM $126.93 -0.2% +3.9% +6.5% ABOVE 1
TSM $360.39 -0.5% -2.1% +10.1% ABOVE 5
QCOM $141.27 -1.4% +2.0% -10.5% BELOW 1
Infrastructure Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
SMCI $32.16 +8.2% +5.7% -0.9% ABOVE 0
DELL $119.06 +2.0% +5.5% +1.6% BELOW 0
VRT $243.06 -0.1% +2.8% +34.2% ABOVE 2
Enterprise Software Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
PLTR $134.89 -0.4% +4.5% -18.7% BELOW 1
NOW $107.37 -0.4% +4.0% -16.5% BELOW 1
CRM $185.29 -1.3% -0.1% -18.8% BELOW 1
ADBE $259.21 -1.5% -1.3% -13.5% BELOW 1
Finance Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
JPM $308.05 -0.2% +1.8% +1.5% BELOW 1
GS $916.65 -1.8% +1.3% -4.0% BELOW 1
Healthcare Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
UNH $289.93 +0.6% +2.0% -18.2% BELOW 0
LLY $1023.22 +0.3% -1.3% -5.9% BELOW 0
Retail Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
COST $987.82 -0.8% -1.1% +1.3% ABOVE 3
WMT $124.87 -1.4% -6.6% +6.0% ABOVE 3
IT Services Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
IBM $256.28 -1.7% -1.2% -12.5% BELOW 1
ACN $214.95 -3.9% -3.2% -24.6% BELOW 1
Airlines Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
DAL $67.44 -5.2% -3.0% -2.2% BELOW 1
UAL $110.05 -5.9% +0.7% -0.3% BELOW 1
Hospitality & Travel Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
MAR $349.89 -1.7% -1.5% +8.8% ABOVE 2
BKNG $4007.45 -6.1% -3.6% -22.2% BELOW 1
Food & Restaurant Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
SBUX $95.80 +0.0% -0.4% -0.0% ABOVE 0
MCD $327.11 -0.2% -1.5% +6.9% ABOVE 1
Logistics Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
FDX $383.14 +0.0% +3.7% +23.7% ABOVE 0
UPS $115.54 -0.5% -0.8% +5.7% ABOVE 1
Industrial Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
CAT $760.53 +1.1% +0.3% +17.3% ABOVE 0
HON $240.77 -0.2% +0.4% +8.2% ABOVE 2
Cybersecurity Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
CRWD $422.14 +1.5% +2.6% -7.0% BELOW 0
PANW $150.99 -0.9% -7.3% -17.2% BELOW 3
ZS $168.99 -1.8% -1.1% -18.9% BELOW 3
Chip Equipment Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
AMAT $369.83 +0.1% +12.6% +16.0% ABOVE 0
ASML $1458.93 -0.7% +3.7% +4.7% ABOVE 1
LRCX $237.39 -1.1% +2.6% +7.6% ABOVE 1
Data Center REITs Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
DLR $176.90 +0.5% -1.9% +11.5% ABOVE 0
EQIX $918.03 -0.7% -4.2% +15.8% ABOVE 4
Utilities Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
SO $95.05 +4.4% +3.5% +8.6% ABOVE 0
DUK $126.37 +0.9% +1.1% +7.4% ABOVE 0
NEE $91.64 +0.5% -0.3% +7.7% ABOVE 0
Energy Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
CVX $184.78 +0.5% +2.3% +10.9% ABOVE 0
XOM $150.97 +0.2% +0.7% +13.0% ABOVE 0
Defense & Aerospace Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
LMT $666.51 +2.6% +4.6% +12.2% ABOVE 0
GD $354.34 +1.4% +4.0% -3.1% ABOVE 0
RTX $205.41 +0.3% +2.1% +4.6% ABOVE 0
Telecom Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
VZ $48.64 +1.2% -1.7% +23.2% ABOVE 0
TMUS $215.30 +1.0% +0.3% +16.1% ABOVE 0
T $27.88 +0.0% -3.2% +18.2% ABOVE 0
Media & Entertainment Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
DIS $106.00 -1.0% +3.5% -6.4% BELOW 1
NFLX $77.00 -1.3% +1.5% -7.8% BELOW 1
Biotech Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
GILD $151.12 -1.1% -0.5% +15.2% ABOVE 2
AMGN $375.50 -1.1% +3.3% +8.2% ABOVE 1
Materials Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
LIN $490.11 +1.0% +3.6% +10.0% ABOVE 0
APD $280.72 -0.6% -3.7% +6.3% ABOVE 1

Key Stock Movers

Today's biggest movers by absolute percentage change: Super Micro (SMCI) (Infrastructure) rose 8.2% to $32.16. Booking (BKNG) (Hospitality & Travel) fell 6.1% to $4007.45. United (UAL) (Airlines) fell 5.9% to $110.05. Delta (DAL) (Airlines) fell 5.2% to $67.44. Southern Co (SO) (Utilities) rose 4.4% to $95.05. These individual stock movements were key drivers of their respective sector performance.

Risk and Opportunity Assessment

On the risk side, 5 high-severity alerts are currently active, signaling significant sector declines that warrant portfolio risk management attention. Consider reducing exposure to affected sectors and tightening stop-loss levels.

US Stock Market Outlook

Looking ahead, the market's breadth is concerning, with 10 sectors currently below their 50-day moving averages, indicating potential risks for investors. Active alerts signal significant declines in enterprise software and healthcare sectors, which could lead to further volatility. Investors should consider maintaining defensive positions while monitoring any shifts in sector performance, particularly in infrastructure and utilities.

Hypothetical Portfolio

SIMULATION
Value $104,144
P&L +4.14%
Today +0.01%
View full portfolio → Simulation only. Not investment advice.
← 2026-02-18
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