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US Stock Market Sector Analysis – Thursday, February 26, 2026 MIXED

Today, the US stock market shows mixed signals with 10 sectors advancing while 11 are in decline. Notably, Accenture (ACN) surged 8.3% following a positive earnings report, while Zscaler (ZS) faced a 7.5% gain despite a drop in share price post-earnings. The Magnificent 7 has struggled, with a collective decline of 1.5%, led by NVIDIA (NVDA) which fell 5.5%. Overall market breadth is weak, with 9 sectors below their 50-day moving averages.

Sector Performance (Base=100)

Today's Market Events

Key Headlines

  • Uncover the latest developments among S&P500 stocks in today's session. ChartMill
  • Accenture (ACN) Accenture PLC Sees Complete Exit by MS Global Franchise Portfolio with a -2.15% Impact Yahoo
  • Zscaler (ZS) Zscaler’s Q2 and outlook beats estimates but shares fall Yahoo
  • Zscaler (ZS) Zscaler (NASDAQ:ZS) Beats Q4 CY2025 Sales Expectations But Stock Drops Yahoo
  • Is Sandisk Stock Still a Buy After its 1,750% Surge? Yahoo
  • NVIDIA (NVDA) Nasdaq, S&P 500 Snap Two-Day Advance Amid Nvidia-Led Tech Pullback Yahoo
  • Why JFrog (FROG) Stock Is Trading Up Today Yahoo
  • Why Is Datadog (DDOG) Stock Soaring Today Yahoo

Earnings Releases

  • Salesforce (CRM) Reports After Close
  • Zscaler (ZS) Reports After Close

AI and Technology Sector Analysis

The AI investment theme continues to face headwinds today, particularly among the Magnificent 7, where several companies reported disappointing performances. NVIDIA (NVDA) is down to $184.89, reflecting a broader pullback in the chip supply chain, while companies like Salesforce (CRM) at $199.47 and ServiceNow (NOW) at $109.30 showed resilience in enterprise software despite the sector’s overall struggles.

US Stock Sector Overview

Sector 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA
Mag 7 (AI Spenders) -1.5% -0.3% -6.0% BELOW
Chip Supply Chain -2.2% +0.8% +0.2% BELOW
Infrastructure -2.2% +1.7% +14.2% ABOVE
Enterprise Software +2.7% +3.3% -8.7% BELOW
Finance +0.9% -0.4% -0.6% BELOW
Healthcare +0.1% +0.0% -1.1% BELOW
Retail -0.9% +0.7% +4.8% ABOVE
IT Services +5.1% -4.8% -21.0% BELOW
Airlines +2.4% +2.3% +9.0% ABOVE
Hospitality & Travel +1.5% +2.5% -3.6% BELOW
Food & Restaurant +0.3% +1.1% +5.3% ABOVE
Logistics +1.9% -0.1% +15.6% ABOVE
Industrial -1.2% -1.1% +9.6% ABOVE
Cybersecurity +5.2% +1.1% -15.4% BELOW
Chip Equipment -4.4% -0.9% +2.4% ABOVE
Data Center REITs -1.5% +1.5% +10.0% ABOVE
Utilities -0.9% +1.3% +6.4% ABOVE
Energy -0.2% +0.5% +6.6% ABOVE
Defense & Aerospace +0.7% -2.1% +0.7% ABOVE
Telecom -1.6% -1.2% +14.9% ABOVE
Media & Entertainment +1.4% +3.7% -1.8% BELOW
Biotech -1.8% -1.9% +6.8% ABOVE
Materials -1.7% -0.7% +8.7% ABOVE

Sector Strength

Cybersecurity +5.2% 20d: -15.4%
Zscaler (ZS) +7.5% (20d: -16.6%) [<50MA], CrowdStrike (CRWD) +4.9% (20d: -14.3%) [<50MA], Palo Alto Networks (PANW) +3.1% (20d: -15.2%) [<50MA]
IT Services +5.1% 20d: -21.0%
Accenture (ACN) +8.3% (20d: -20.6%) [<50MA], IBM +1.9% (20d: -21.3%) [<50MA]
Enterprise Software +2.7% 20d: -8.7%
ServiceNow (NOW) +4.9% (20d: -6.4%) [<50MA], Salesforce (CRM) +4.0% (20d: -6.8%) [<50MA], Palantir (PLTR) +1.3% (20d: -10.5%) [<50MA]
Airlines +2.4% 20d: +9.0%
United (UAL) +3.2% (20d: +12.0%), Delta (DAL) +1.6% (20d: +6.0%)
Logistics +1.9% 20d: +15.6%
UPS +2.4% (20d: +10.0%), FedEx (FDX) +1.3% (20d: +21.2%)

Sector Warnings

Chip Equipment -4.4% 20d: +2.4%
Applied Materials (AMAT) -4.9% (20d: +10.1%), Lam Research (LRCX) -4.2% (20d: -3.7%), ASML -4.1% (20d: +0.7%)
Chip Supply Chain -2.2% 20d: +0.2%
AMD -3.4% (20d: -19.2%) [<50MA], Broadcom (AVGO) -3.2% (20d: -2.7%) [<50MA], TSMC (TSM) -2.8% (20d: +11.0%)
Infrastructure -2.2% 20d: +14.2%
Super Micro (SMCI) -3.9% (20d: +7.2%), Dell (DELL) -1.6% (20d: +2.5%), Vertiv (VRT) -1.1% (20d: +32.9%)
Biotech -1.8% 20d: +6.8%
Gilead (GILD) -2.3% (20d: +3.0%), Amgen (AMGN) -1.3% (20d: +10.6%)
Materials -1.7% 20d: +8.7%
Linde (LIN) -1.9% (20d: +9.6%), Air Products (APD) -1.5% (20d: +7.9%)

Sector Deep Dive

In the Cybersecurity sector, stocks displayed notable volatility today, led by Zscaler (ZS) which rose 7.5% to $167.36 despite a disappointing market reaction to its earnings report. CrowdStrike (CRWD) also gained 4.9%, closing at $381.10, indicating a potential rebound as this sector remains below its 50-day moving average and is down 15.4% over the past 20 days. The overall trend suggests investors are seeking value amidst the downturn.

The IT Services sector showed a significant rally, with Accenture (ACN) posting an impressive 8.3% gain to $207.38, buoyed by strong earnings. However, the sector is still grappling with a 21.0% decline over the last 20 days, indicating persistent challenges. This juxtaposition highlights a potential divergence where strong individual performances could signal opportunities for savvy investors.

In the Enterprise Software sector, Salesforce (CRM) rose 4.0% to $199.47 following its earnings report, reflecting resilience amid sector-wide pressures. ServiceNow (NOW) also performed well, increasing by 4.9% to $109.30. Despite these gains, the sector is still down 8.7% over the past 20 days, suggesting that while pockets of strength exist, broader trends remain bearish.

Market Breadth Analysis

US stock market breadth analysis shows 14 of 23 sectors trading above their 50-day moving average, while 9 are below. The majority of sectors holding above the 50-day MA indicates healthy medium-term momentum. With 15 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 IT Services down -21.0% over 20 days
HIGH Cybersecurity down -15.4% over 20 days
HIGH 4 sectors declining >5% over 20 days: Mag 7 (AI Spenders), Enterprise Software, IT Services, Cybersecurity

Stock-Level Detail

Mag 7 (AI Spenders) Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
META $657.01 +0.5% +0.2% -11.0% ABOVE 0
MSFT $401.72 +0.3% +1.1% -7.3% BELOW 0
AAPL $272.95 -0.5% +3.2% +5.8% ABOVE 1
AMZN $207.92 -1.3% -1.0% -14.0% BELOW 1
GOOG $307.15 -1.9% -2.5% -9.3% BELOW 1
TSLA $408.58 -2.1% -0.8% -1.9% BELOW 1
NVDA $184.89 -5.5% -2.6% -4.0% BELOW 1
Chip Supply Chain Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
QCOM $145.59 -0.2% +1.9% -4.4% BELOW 1
ARM $129.26 -1.9% +2.9% +19.2% ABOVE 1
MRVL $79.29 -2.0% -0.2% -2.5% BELOW 1
TSM $376.81 -2.8% +1.7% +11.0% ABOVE 1
AVGO $321.70 -3.2% -3.3% -2.7% BELOW 1
AMD $203.68 -3.4% +1.8% -19.2% BELOW 2
Infrastructure Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
VRT $259.23 -1.1% +6.4% +32.9% ABOVE 1
DELL $121.45 -1.6% -0.7% +2.5% ABOVE 1
SMCI $32.28 -3.9% -0.4% +7.2% ABOVE 1
Enterprise Software Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
NOW $109.30 +4.9% +4.8% -6.4% BELOW 0
CRM $199.47 +4.0% +7.7% -6.8% BELOW 0
PLTR $135.94 +1.3% +0.5% -10.5% BELOW 0
ADBE $259.04 +0.5% +0.2% -11.2% BELOW 0
Finance Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
JPM $306.13 +0.9% -1.5% -0.1% BELOW 0
GS $929.00 +0.8% +0.7% -1.2% ABOVE 0
Healthcare Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
UNH $286.66 +0.9% -1.2% -1.9% BELOW 0
LLY $1022.02 -0.7% +1.2% -0.2% BELOW 3
Retail Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
COST $986.74 -0.8% +0.1% +3.7% ABOVE 2
WMT $124.42 -1.1% +1.2% +6.0% ABOVE 2
IT Services Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
ACN $207.38 +8.3% -3.7% -20.6% BELOW 0
IBM $242.01 +1.9% -5.9% -21.3% BELOW 0
Airlines Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
UAL $116.43 +3.2% +3.0% +12.0% ABOVE 0
DAL $70.51 +1.6% +1.5% +6.0% ABOVE 0
Hospitality & Travel Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
BKNG $4250.26 +2.1% +4.3% -16.9% BELOW 0
MAR $350.57 +0.9% +0.8% +9.6% ABOVE 0
Food & Restaurant Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
MCD $334.53 +0.5% +1.6% +6.0% ABOVE 0
SBUX $98.08 +0.2% +0.6% +4.5% ABOVE 0
Logistics Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
UPS $116.63 +2.4% -0.1% +10.0% ABOVE 0
FDX $387.68 +1.3% -0.2% +21.2% ABOVE 0
Industrial Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
HON $240.88 -0.5% -1.3% +6.0% ABOVE 2
CAT $752.93 -1.8% -0.9% +13.2% ABOVE 2
Cybersecurity Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
ZS $167.36 +7.5% +4.8% -16.6% BELOW 0
CRWD $381.10 +4.9% -1.9% -14.3% BELOW 0
PANW $149.40 +3.1% +0.5% -15.2% BELOW 0
Chip Equipment Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
ASML $1463.80 -4.1% -0.4% +0.7% ABOVE 1
LRCX $239.07 -4.2% -2.4% -3.7% ABOVE 1
AMAT $375.72 -4.9% +0.1% +10.1% ABOVE 1
Data Center REITs Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
EQIX $948.02 -1.3% +2.7% +14.8% ABOVE 1
DLR $176.37 -1.8% +0.4% +5.3% ABOVE 1
Utilities Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
SO $96.35 +0.4% +2.2% +8.1% ABOVE 0
DUK $129.23 +0.2% +1.9% +6.9% ABOVE 0
NEE $91.99 -3.3% -0.2% +4.3% ABOVE 2
Energy Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
CVX $184.16 -0.0% +0.1% +7.6% ABOVE 2
XOM $148.54 -0.3% +0.9% +5.7% ABOVE 3
Defense & Aerospace Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
GD $350.72 +2.2% -0.2% +0.2% BELOW 0
RTX $197.63 +0.8% -3.6% -1.1% ABOVE 0
LMT $641.63 -0.9% -2.5% +3.1% ABOVE 2
Telecom Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
VZ $48.89 -0.7% -0.7% +22.8% ABOVE 2
T $27.46 -1.5% -1.9% +9.3% ABOVE 3
TMUS $213.15 -2.5% -1.1% +12.6% ABOVE 2
Media & Entertainment Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
NFLX $84.59 +2.3% +7.5% +1.7% BELOW 0
DIS $105.55 +0.5% -0.0% -5.4% BELOW 0
Biotech Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
AMGN $379.33 -1.3% +1.2% +10.6% ABOVE 1
GILD $143.77 -2.3% -5.0% +3.0% ABOVE 4
Materials Show individual tickers
Ticker Price 1D 5D 20D vs 50MA Down Days
APD $276.23 -1.5% -1.8% +7.9% ABOVE 1
LIN $498.51 -1.9% +0.4% +9.6% ABOVE 1

Key Stock Movers

Today's biggest movers by absolute percentage change: Accenture (ACN) (IT Services) rose 8.3% to $207.38. Zscaler (ZS) (Cybersecurity) rose 7.5% to $167.36. NVIDIA (NVDA) (Mag 7 (AI Spenders)) fell 5.5% to $184.89. CrowdStrike (CRWD) (Cybersecurity) rose 4.9% to $381.10. Applied Materials (AMAT) (Chip Equipment) fell 4.9% to $375.72. These individual stock movements were key drivers of their respective sector performance.

Risk and Opportunity Assessment

On the risk side, 3 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 remains under pressure with 9 sectors below their 50-day moving averages and high alert counts, particularly in IT Services and Cybersecurity. Investors should be cautious, focusing on sectors that show potential for recovery and considering tactical positioning in sectors that are currently undervalued.

Hypothetical Portfolio

SIMULATION
Value $104,690
P&L +4.69%
Today -0.60%
View full portfolio → Simulation only. Not investment advice.
← 2026-02-25
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