Wall Street’s primary measure of market anxiety, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), surged to a fresh year-to-date high of 22.96 on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The spike sent a clear signal through global markets: the period of relative calm enjoyed by technology-led indices is under serious threat. As
The financial world was jolted this February as Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) issued a stark warning regarding a widening "inflation disconnect" that could derail market hopes for an early 2026 interest rate pivot. Despite a seemingly cooling Consumer Price Index (CPI) report that suggested inflation was drifting toward 2.4%
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global maritime industry, German shipping titan Hapag-Lloyd (XETR:HLAG) announced on February 16, 2026, a definitive agreement to acquire ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (NYSE:ZIM) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.2 billion. The deal, which offers ZIM
As the sun sets on February 18, 2026, the global retail landscape is bracing for what could be a defining moment in the "membership wars." Tomorrow morning, Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings report, and the stakes have never been higher. Having recently
The American consumer, long heralded as the invincible engine of the global economy, appears to have finally hit a wall. Newly released data for December 2025 reveals that retail sales saw absolutely no growth, clocking in at a stagnant 0.0% month-over-month change. This "flatline" performance significantly underperformed the 0.
As of February 18, 2026, the United States economy is grappling with the most aggressive shift in trade policy since the Great Depression. The Trump administration’s universal baseline tariff has pushed the average import tax to a staggering 13%, a level not seen in nine decades. While the stock
Shares of consumer powerhouse General Mills (NYSE: GIS) plummeted more than 7% in early trading on February 18, 2026, after the company issued a stark warning regarding its fiscal 2026 performance. The Minneapolis-based food giant significantly lowered its guidance for both top-line growth and profitability, signaling a deepening crisis for
As financial insecurity among Americans aged 18-54 continues to rise, Walmart (NYSE: WMT) has seen its grocery penetration in the U.S. reach a record 72%, according to the latest dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker (CTT).
The stocks in this article have caught Wall Street’s attention in a big way, with price targets implying returns above 20%.
But investors should take these forecasts with a grain of salt because analysts typically say nice things about companies so their firms can win business in other product lines like M&A advisory.
The American consumer, long the undisputed engine of global economic growth, appears to have hit a significant roadblock. In a data release that sent tremors through Wall Street this mid-February 2026, the Department of Commerce reported that retail sales for the previous period were officially flat, coming in at a
Shares of auto and industrial parts retailer Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC)
fell 14.1% in the afternoon session after the company reported fourth-quarter 2025 results that missed analyst expectations and provided a weak forecast for the upcoming year, causing shares to fall.
As of February 17, 2026, the euphoria that pushed the S&P 500 to the brink of the historic 7,000 mark has been replaced by a growing sense of trepidation. Following a series of stern warnings from top Wall Street technical analysts last week, investors are bracing for what
NEW YORK — Wall Street is battening down the hatches for what traders are calling "Macro Friday." On February 20, 2026, the Bureau of Economic Analysis is set to release a rare, high-stakes "data deluge" that could dictate the trajectory of the U.S. economy for the remainder of the year.
The streaming landscape shifted decisively this week as Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) stunned Wall Street with its fiscal year 2025 earnings report, proving that the "gatekeeper of the living room" can thrive even without its biggest retail partner. In a massive financial update on February 17, 2026, Roku reported its
As the global retail landscape prepares for a pivotal update, all eyes are on Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) as it readies its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings report scheduled for the morning of February 19, 2026. Following a tumultuous end to 2025—marked by a record-breaking 43-day federal government shutdown and
